A man who broke into Windsor Castle with a crossbow to try and kill the late Queen has been forced to apologise to the royal family.
Star Wars fanatic Jaswant Singh Chail, 21, was encouraged to kill the late Queen by an artificial intelligence girlfriend called Sarai.
When he broke into the castle grounds on Christmas Day 2021 he sent a homemade video to family and friends on WhatsApp in which he apologised for what he was about to do and called himself ‘Darth Chailus’.
Chail wore dark clothes and a metal mask as he adopted the persona of Darth Chailus.
He was detained in the castle grounds while the Queen was in residence and has admitted treason.
At the Old Bailey Chail’s barrister Nadia Chbat said: ‘He has expressed distress and sadness about the impact his actions had on the royal family, particularly while Her Majesty was in her latter years.
‘He has apologised to the royal family and His Majesty King Charles.
‘He is embarrassed and ashamed he brought such horrific and worrying times to their front door.
‘He has expressed relief no one was actually hurt. It is important to him there was a surrender.’
Chail was described as a kind, gentle and sometimes funny person before his mental health deteriorated.
Ms Chbat added: ‘He was at the time of this offending 19 years old. Lockdown gripped the nation in March 2020. He was only 18 years old when we went into the first lockdown.
‘The events of December have utterly shocked and devastated his family unit and the defendant has sincere regret for how this has impacted on his family.
‘And that deep regret will be with him for the rest of his life because of the severity of the offending that took place.’
Chail was also seeking revenge for the Amritsar massacre in 1919, when British troops opened fire on thousands of Indians and left up to 1,500 dead.
After failed attempts to join the armed forces to get close to the royal family he embarked on his murderous mission.
Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said Chail’s crimes were so serious they should attract the highest possible sentence.
She said: ‘This is not simply somebody carrying a crossbow – it was loaded and ready to be fired.’
The maximum sentence for treason is seven years in prison.
Had Chail raised his weapon at his target, he could have been charged with the more serious offence of high treason, which carries a life sentence, she said.
Mr Justice Hilliard said: ‘It might be said that if it’s a prime minister, any other significant figure or politician, it is top of the range.’
Chail, who has also admitted making a threat to kill the Queen and having a loaded crossbow, appeared by video link in court from high-security psychiatric hospital Broadmoor.
The hearing follows seven days of evidence from three psychiatrists about Chail’s mental state as Mr Justice Hilliard considers whether he should be jailed, detained under the Mental Health Act or face a ‘hybrid’ order.
His treating psychiatrist Dr Christian Brown, who recommended a hospital order, suggested Chail will need around 18 months of one-to-one therapy.
However, Professor Nigel Blackwood, for the prosecution, said the attack was carefully planned and Chail was well aware it was wrong.
Mr Justice Hilliard will sentence Chail at the Old Bailey on October 5.
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