Windsor Castle crossbow intruder wanted 'heroic end', court told

Jaswant Singh Chail was arrested in December 2021

A crossbow-armed intruder at Windsor Castle who planned to kill the Queen was suicidal and motivated by the idea of a "heroic end", a court heard.

Jaswant Singh Chail was arrested on Christmas Day 2021 and has admitted to treason, making threats to kill and possessing an offensive weapon.

A psychiatrist told the Old Bailey Chail was obsessed with Star Wars and that he wanted to emulate his heroes.

He added that the 21-year-old was sad when the Queen died in September.

Queen Elizabeth II, the UK's longest-serving monarch, died at Balmoral aged 96 in September 2022

Chail's sentencing hearing previously heard how he broke into the grounds while the late monarch was staying at the castle during the pandemic.

When confronted by a royal protection officer, the former supermarket worker said: "I am here to kill the Queen."

Psychiatrist Dr Jonathan Hafferty assessed Chail, who is from North Baddesley near Southampton, after he was detained by police.

Dr Hafferty told the court: "I believe his intention was much more suicidal than some of the evidence suggested."

Chail's crossbow was found to be comparable to a powerful air rifle with the potential to cause fatal injury

He said Chail had described himself as a "Sith" and "Darth Jones" in reference to characters from the Star Wars franchise.

Dr Hafferty told the court Chail became "very angry" at the idea of having to stop wearing his black trousers and black top after he was arrested.

"This to me was more of a fashion statement, a tribute to the Sith Star Wars legend," Dr Hafferty said.

"This was his uniform, part of his identity."

Chail was found by police wearing a hood and a mask

The psychiatrist added: "I believe that he thinks this would be a heroic end.

"I am less convinced that he would have tried to assassinate the Queen."

The court was also told Chail was socially isolated, had a "significant history of trauma" and endured psychotic episodes and depression.

The court previously heard Chail had exchanged 5,000 sexually charged messages with an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot before arriving at Windsor Castle.

Prosecutors said he had been encouraged by his AI girlfriend Sarai.

During the cross-examination, Dr Hafferty rejected an assertion by prosecutors that Chail was aware of the mechanism and limitation of the AI chatbot.

A video was also played to the court showing Chail describe how he wanted to kill the Queen as "revenge " for the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre, which took place when British troops opened fire on thousands of people who had gathered in the city of Amritsar in India.

The hearing continues.