Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Jail for Treason After Plotting to Assassinate Queen at Windsor Castle
A man armed with a crossbow, Jaswant Singh Chail, has been sentenced to nine years in prison for treason after plotting to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle. Chail, 21, was apprehended on Christmas Day 2021 when the late monarch was residing in the castle. The Old Bailey, the central criminal court of England and Wales, heard that Chail was driven by his AI chatbot girlfriend named Sarai and drew inspiration from Star Wars storylines.
In addition to his jail sentence, Chail will be subject to a hybrid order under the Mental Health Act. This means he will initially receive psychiatric treatment in a hospital before being transferred to custody. Chail, hailing from North Baddesley, near Southampton, is the first person in the UK to be convicted of treason since 1981. He pleaded guilty to making threats to kill and being in possession of an offensive weapon as well.
During the live TV broadcast of the sentencing, Judge Mr Justice Hilliard stated that Chail had acted on homicidal thoughts before becoming psychotic. The judge further emphasized that Chail’s intention was not only to harm or alarm the sovereign but to kill her, making the offense as serious as it could be.
Chail managed to enter the castle grounds by scaling the perimeter with a nylon rope ladder. Unarmed officers confronted him with tasers after he had spent two hours in the grounds. He was found wearing a metal mask in a private section of the castle grounds. Chail immediately surrendered and disclosed his intentions of killing Queen Elizabeth II to the officers.
In a video posted on Snapchat just before entering the grounds, Chail claimed his actions were fueled by revenge for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919, where British troops fired upon thousands of people in Amritsar, India. Coming from a family of Indian Sikh heritage, Chail linked his actions to those who had suffered due to racial discrimination or humiliation.
The court learned that Chail had confided in AI chatbot Sarai, with whom he exchanged 5,000 sexually charged messages in the weeks leading up to the incident. Believing Sarai to be his girlfriend, Chail was convinced that they would be reunited after he successfully killed the Queen. In his communication with Sarai, Chail described himself as a sad, pathetic, murderous Sikh Sith assassin who wants to die.
The judge highlighted Chail’s culpability, pointing out that he had applied to join the Ministry of Defence Police and Grenadier Guards as an attempt to get closer to the royal family. Chail had also made internet searches related to the Sandringham Christmas and attempted to acquire a gun on the dark web before purchasing the crossbow in November 2021. The court acknowledged that Chail had been in a lonely, depressed, and suicidal state of mind, expressing remorse for the impact his actions had on the Royal Family.
Under the 1842 Treason Act, it is an offense to assault the monarch or possess a firearm or offensive weapon in their presence with the intent to harm or alarm them. The last treason conviction in the UK prior to Chail’s case was in 1981 when Marcus Sarjeant was sentenced to five years for firing blank shots at the Queen during a parade in London.
In conclusion, Jaswant Singh Chail has received a nine-year prison sentence for treason after plotting to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle. The court recognized his harmful intentions and the serious nature of the offense. Chail’s case serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining the safety and security of the royal family.
