Man in lying-in-state queue wanted to tell Queen ‘to get out of her f***ing coffin because she’s not dead’
Man is among two people charged with public order offences in Westminster Hall, while a third man is accused of sexually assaulting women in queue
A man told a television crew he was going to get the Queen “out of her f***ing coffin because she's not dead” while queuing for her lying in state.
Mark Hague, 52, is one of two men charged with committing public order offences in the line to view Elizabeth II’s coffin, while a third man is accused of sexually assaulting two women.
Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard that Hague, of no fixed address, made the comment on Saturday after a journalist asked what he was going to do when he reached Westminster Hall.
“A male, now known to be Mr Hague, was heard saying, 'I will tell her to get out of her f***ing coffin because she's not dead',” prosecutor Louise Burnell said.
“The event organiser made a decision that Mr Hague should not remain in the queue and he was escorted out.”
The court heard that Hague was arrested after he became abusive to police officers and members of the public while being led away from the scene.
He pleaded guilty to a charge of threatening or abusive words or behaviour and was fined £120.
District Judge Neeta Minhas imposed a further £120 penalty as he was the subject of a conditional discharge for a previous assault on an emergency worker.
Defence lawyer Giovanna Fiorentino said: “He is clearly someone who is suffering from mental health problems.”
Another man was charged after approaching the Queen’s coffin in Westminster Hall on Friday night.
Muhammad Khan, 28, is accused of a different offence under the Public Order Act - threatening or abusive words or behaviour “with intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress”.
Mr Khan, of Limehouse in east London, has not entered a plea and was remanded in custody.
Richard Brown, defending, asked for the case to be adjourned to Tuesday for a mental health assessment to be carried out.
A man accused of sexually assaulting female mourners as they queued in Victoria Tower Gardens on Wednesday was also remanded in custody following a short preliminary hearing.
Adio Adeshine, 19, allegedly pushed into women from behind as they waited and then jumped into the River Thames in an attempt to evade police before being arrested.
He has been charged with two counts of sexual assault and two counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order.
Metropolitan Police deputy assistant commissioner Stuart Cundy said stewards and police had been “present throughout the route to help and support those queuing to pay their respects”.
“There has been very little crime or other incidents where officers have had to intervene,” he added.
Hundreds of thousands of people visited the Queen’s lying-in-state, with a miles-long queue snaking along the south bank of the River Thames since it opened last Wednesday.
The public viewing ended shortly before 6.30am on Monday, and the Queen’s coffin was later transferred by carriage to Westminster Abbey for her state funeral.
Additional reporting by PA