Armed Windsor Castle Intruder Charged with Treason
On Christmas Day 2021, an armed intruder was arrested on the grounds of Windsor Castle while Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall celebrated the winter holiday inside.
This week, that intruder—20-year-old Jaswant Singh Chail—was charged with offenses related to the Christmas incident.
According to the Metropolitan Police, Singh Chail was charged was three counts: "An offence under section 2 of the Treason Act, 1842; threats to kill; and possession of an offensive weapon." (After he was arrested, the police found a crossbow on the grounds of Windsor.) Singh Chail is currently detained ahead of an appearance at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on August 17.
The Treason Act of 1842 was instated to provide "for the further Security and Protection of Her Majesty's Person," making it a criminal offense to assault the Queen, or have an offensive weapon in her presence with the intent to injure or alarm her.
The Act was last used over four decades ago, in 1981, when 17-year-old Marcus Sarjeant was arrested and jailed for firing blank shots at Queen Elizabeth during the annual Trooping the Colour parade.
Sarjeant had written in his diary, "I am going to stun and mystify the whole world with nothing more than a gun - I will become the most famous teenager in the world." After he was released, he changed his name.
Before Sarjeant, the Treason Act was used in 1966 on another teenager: 17-year-old Francis Morgan, who threw a concrete block on the Queen’s Rolls-Royce during her visit to Belfast.
Under the Treason Act, a person convicted can face imprisonment for up to seven years.
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