A man has pleaded guilty to threatening to kill Prince Harry, police confirmed over the weekend.
Ashraf Islam, a 30-year-old homeless man who converted to Islam after a spell in prison which also saw him change his name from Mark Townley, was arrested after walking into a London police station where he allegedly threatened to kill the Prince, the day after Drummer Lee Rigby was hacked to death on the streets of Woolwich.
Mr Islam, of no fixed abode, was charged under Section 16 of the Offences Against the Person Act. He pleaded guilty at Uxbridge Magistrates Court and is due to be sentenced.
Counter-terrorism officers launched an inquiry following the incident at Hounslow police station in south-west London but did not charge Mr Islam with terrorism offences, the Metropolitan Police said.
Prince Harry’s personal security has reportedly been increased after the incident, which has stoked fears that the third in line to the throne has become a target for extremists after his tours to Afghanistan where he admitted on-camera to killing insurgents.