Treason or High Treason?

Two historic acts of parliament

The last person convicted under the Treason Act 1842 was Marcus Sarjeant, who was jailed for five years in 1981 after firing blanks at the Queen during Trooping the Colour.

The Act was drafted after Queen Victoria was challenged by armed men when performing her royal duties.

It enables the prosecution of anyone who has offensive weapons in the monarch’s presence with intent to injure or alarm, or cause a breach of the peace. The maximum sentence is seven years.

The High Treason Act 1351 punishes plotting or “imagining” the death of the monarch, “levying war” or “adhering to the King’s Enemies”.

Nazi William Joyce, Lord Haw Haw, was hanged in 1945 after being convicted of it.