Delusional man tried to confirm Queen was dead, court told

The coffin was surrounded round the clock by a ceremonial guard

A man who was suffering from delusions when he approached the Queen's coffin as she lay in state has been sent to a mental health facility.

"Anguished" mourners were distressed by Muhammad Khan's actions, London's Westminster Magistrates' Court heard.

Mr Khan, from Limehouse in east London, was assessed by psychiatrists as not fit to take part in legal proceedings.

He broke from the queue in Westminster Hall on 16 September at about 21:45 BST. The live feed briefly cut away.

Hundreds of thousands of people queued to pay their respects to the Queen

Mr Khan was seen by officers to step off the carpet in the direction of the catafalque, and grab hold of the Royal Standard draped over the coffin, before he was detained and arrested.

PCs Lynsey McMenemy and Jordan Godfrey grappled with Mr Khan and all three fell to the ground.

As he was removed from the scene, Mr Khan told one officer he "wanted to see if she was really dead", the court heard.

Judge Louisa Cieciora said she was satisfied, following assessment by two doctors, that Mr Khan was suffering from a mental disorder and should be detained in hospital care where he could be given appropriate treatment.

She told him: "You will be taken to the Tower Hamlets Centre for Mental Health. How long you stay in hospital will depend on your treatment and will depend on your doctors."