The man who entered the grounds of Windsor Castle armed with a loaded crossbow last Christmas with the intention of killing the Queen has been charged with three criminal offences.
Jaswant Singh Chail, 20, entered the royal residence where Queen Elizabeth II and other family members were staying for Christmas celebrations, with the intention of enacting revenge on the monarchy for its treatment of Indians.
On the day of the incident, the man sent a video to his friends on social media discussing his plans to assassinate the Queen. He then proceeded to approach the grounds wearing a hood and a mask and a loaded crossbow with the safety catch off.
Prosecutor Kathryn Selby said the weapon had potential to cause โserious or fatal injuriesโ.
โIโm sorry. Iโm sorry for what Iโve done and what I will do. I will attempt to assassinate Elizabeth, Queen of the Royal Family,โ he said in the video.
โThis is revenge for those who have died in the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
โIt is also revenge for those who have been killed, humiliated and discriminated on because of their race.โ
Before being arrested, he told police officers โI am here to kill the Queenโ.
Jaswant appeared at Londonโs Westminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning by a video link from a high-security psychiatric hospital, as following the event he underwent mental health assessments.
He has been charged under the UK Treason Act with the intention of injuring โthe person of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, or to alarm her Majestyโ, threats to kill and possession of an offensive weaponโ.
He pleaded guilty and has been sentenced to five years in prison, but the incident is not being treated as a terrorist attack.
The man was not asked to enter a plea agreement and was ordered detainment until his next court appearance on September 14.