man who appeared to seize the flag draped over the Queen’s coffin deliberate to trespass at royal residences together with Buckingham Palace as a result of he didn’t consider she was lifeless, a court docket has heard.
Muhammad Khan, 28, allegedly left the queue in Westminster Corridor on Friday evening whereas the monarch was mendacity in state because the reside feed briefly reduce away.
Khan was arrested and appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Courtroom on Tuesday, charged with two counts below the Public Order Act.
Prosecutor Luke Staton mentioned Khan had being amongst round 250,000 individuals who filed via the corridor between 5pm Wednesday till early Monday morning to pay their respects after queuing for hours alongside the banks of the River Thames.
“The defendant had reached Westminster Corridor. He was then seen by officers, who have been current, to strategy the coffin,” he mentioned.
“He stepped off the carpet within the path of the catafalque, then grabbed maintain of the Royal Customary flag draped over the coffin with each of his arms.”
The court docket heard he was rapidly detained, arrested and interviewed by police.
“The defendant did specific the concept that the Queen is just not lifeless and that he approached the coffin as a result of he wished to verify for himself,” mentioned Mr Staton.
“He did say, previous to the state funeral, he was planning on going to the funeral.
“He deliberate to jot down to the royal household and if they didn’t reply he deliberate to go to Windsor Citadel, Buckingham Palace and Balmoral to attempt to converse to the Queen.”
The court docket heard Khan mentioned if he was unsuccessful: “I must trespass with a purpose to attempt to make contact,” and when requested what number of occasions he would strive, replied: “So long as I’m dwelling.”
District Decide Michael Snow didn’t ask Khan, who was not represented by a lawyer, after docs had assessed him as not match to participate in proceedings.
The court docket heard he was affected by delusions and the decide informed him: “On the time whenever you have been in Westminster you didn’t settle for that the Queen was lifeless and that was the rationale you have been transferring in direction of the coffin to fulfill your self that she was.”
He added: “He’s delusional nonetheless and thinks the Queen is just not lifeless, thinks King Charles has one thing to do with it and will go to Windsor Citadel to pay his respects but additionally as a result of he nonetheless thinks she is alive.”
Khan spoke to substantiate his identify, date of delivery and that he was staying at a good friend’s handle in Wooden Inexperienced, 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 October 18.
It comes after Mark Hague, 52, admitted a cost below Part 5 of the Public Order Act on Monday after he was escorted from the queue in Victoria Tower Gardens on Saturday morning.
A mourner raised the alarm after Hague was heard to say: “I’ll inform her to get out of her f****** coffin as a result of she’s not lifeless.”
Westminster Magistrates’ Courtroom heard Hague was arrested after he grew to become abusive to cops and members of the general public as he was led away from the scene.
Hague was fined £120, which was deemed served due to the time he had spent in custody, however fined an additional £120 as he was the topic of a conditional discharge for a earlier assault on an emergency employee.
Final week, Adio Adeshine, 19, was remanded in custody charged with two counts of sexual assault and two counts of breaching a sexual hurt prevention order.
He allegedly uncovered himself and pushed into mourners from behind as they waited within the line at Victoria Tower Gardens on Wednesday.
Adeshine is claimed to have gone into the River Thames in an try and evade police earlier than popping out and being arrested.
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