A British man has been jailed for 12 months for trying to grab a policeman's gun at a Donald Trump rally in an alleged bid to kill the president-elect in June.
Michael Sandford, 20, tried to snatch the weapon in the run-up to the US election as Trump was addressing supporters at a Las Vegas casino.
Sandford, who has autism, pleaded guilty in September to charges of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and disrupting an official function, the Guardian reported.
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He allegedly told officers after his arrest that he planned to shoot the tycoon, and could have faced up to 20 years in prison if he had been convicted of both charges at trial.
Despite triumphing at the ballot box, Trump remains controversial figure. Credit: PA
Judge James Mahan told him: "You have a medical problem. You should not be ashamed or embarrassed about it. You need medication.
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"You're not a hardened criminal. You're not evil or a sociopath like a lot of people we have. I don't think you wanted to kill anybody. This was just some crazy stunt that your mind told you to do."
Sandford, in tears in the dock, told the court: "I know saying sorry is not enough. I really do feel awful about what I did. I wish there was some way to make things better. I have cost taxpayers so much money. I feel terrible."
He added: "I'm really sorry to you and the court for taking up so much time."
Sandford did not get hold of the gun and no shots were fired before he was arrested, but prosecutors had asked for a sentence of up to 18 months.
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His lawyers say Sandford will now serve around four months, having been detained since June, before he is deported back to the UK.
The sentencing comes as an teenage student was arrested yesterday, for trying to enter Trump Tower with a rucksack full of weapons.
Alexander Wang, 19, entered Trump Tower on Monday night but was detained after he was discovered with a 'knife, garrote and fireworks', according to officials.
Featured image credit: PA
Featured Image Credit:Topics: President, Donald Trump, Jail