Man to enter plea to treason charge over Windsor Castle crossbow incident

A man accused of trying to harm the late Queen after being caught with a loaded crossbow at Windsor Castle last Christmas is due to enter pleas in court later.

Jaswant Singh Chail, 20, is due to appear at the Old Bailey on Wednesday to face three charges, including an offence under the Treason Act.

The charge under Section Two of the Act states that “on December 25 2021 at Windsor Castle, near to the person of the Queen, you did wilfully produce or have a loaded crossbow with intent to use the same to injure the person of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, or to alarm her Majesty”.

He is also charged with making a threat to kill the Queen and having a loaded crossbow, an offensive weapon, in a public place.

The former supermarket worker had been detained in the grounds of Windsor Castle last Christmas Day at a time when the late Queen was in residence.

He was allegedly wearing a hood and mask and was carrying a crossbow loaded with a bolt with the safety catch off and ready to fire.

It is claimed that he told a protection officer: “I am here to kill the Queen,” before he was handcuffed and arrested.

Chail, from Southampton, Hampshire, is due to appear at the Old Bailey in London before senior judge Mr Justice Sweeney from 9.30am.