A person who appeared to seize the flag draped over the Queen’s coffin deliberate to trespass at royal residences as a result of he didn’t consider she was useless, a court docket has heard.
Muhammad Khan, 28, allegedly left the queue in Westminster Hall on Friday night time whereas the Queen was mendacity in state because the stay feed briefly reduce away.
Khan was arrested and appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, charged with two counts below the Public Order Act.
Prosecutor Luke Staton mentioned Khan had been amongst round 250,000 folks who filed via the corridor between 5pm on Wednesday till early Monday morning after queuing for hours to see the Queen’s coffin.
Mr Staton mentioned the defendant was seen by officers, who have been current, to strategy the coffin.
“He stepped off the carpet in the direction of the catafalque, then grabbed hold of the Royal Standard flag draped over the coffin with both of his hands,” he added.
The court docket heard he was rapidly detained, arrested and interviewed by police.
Mr Staton added: “The defendant did express the idea that the Queen is not dead and that he approached the coffin because he wanted to check for himself.
“He did say, previous to the state funeral, he was planning on going to the funeral.
“He planned to write to the royal family and if they did not reply he planned to go to Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace and Balmoral to try to speak to the Queen.”
The court docket heard Khan mentioned if he was unsuccessful: “I would have to trespass in order to try and make contact.”
And when requested what number of instances he would attempt, replied: “As long as I’m living.”
District Judge Michael Snow did query Khan, who was not represented by a lawyer, after docs had assessed him as not match to participate in proceedings.
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The court docket heard he was affected by delusions and the decide instructed him: “At the time when you were in Westminster you didn’t accept that the Queen was dead and that was the reason you were moving towards the coffin to satisfy yourself that she was.”
He added: “He is delusional still and thinks the Queen is not dead, thinks King Charles has something to do with it and may go to Windsor Castle to pay his respects but also because he still thinks she is alive.”
Khan spoke to substantiate his identify, date of beginning and that he was staying at a pal’s deal with in Wood Green, north London, in the course of the listening to.
The decide granted him bail on situation he stays in an east London psychological well being hospital till his subsequent look on the identical court docket on 18 October.
Last night time, the Queen was buried on the King George VI Memorial Chapel at Windsor Castle.
Source: information.sky.com”