Michael Sandford who tried to grab police officer's gun in alleged plot to shoot Donald Trump is jailed

Plot: Michael Sandford was accused of a plot to kill Donald Trump after he was arrested at a Las Vegas casino in June
AP Photo/John Locher
Hatty Collier14 December 2016
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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 now US president-elect.

Michael Sandford, 20, attempted to snatch the weapon at a Las Vegas casino where Mr Trump was addressing supporters in the run-up to the US election in June.

He allegedly told officers after his arrest that his plan was to shoot the tycoon.

Sandford, who has autism, was sentenced at a federal court in Las Vegas after pleading guilty in September to charges of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and disrupting an official function.

Family photo: Lynne Sandford and her son Michael
PA Wire

Lawyers acting for Sandford said he suffers a number of mental health problems and he was diagnosed as having had a psychotic episode at the time of the incident on June 18.

Sentencing Sandford to 12 months and a day in prison, Judge James Mahan told him: "You have a medical problem. You should not be ashamed or embarrassed about it. You need medication.

"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, of Dorking, Surrey, had faced up to 20 years in jail had he been found guilty of the offences at a trial. He had initially denied the charges but pleaded guilty in September following a plea agreement.

Before sentencing, Sandford waved to his mother Lynne, father Paul Davey, grandmother Christine and four-year-old sister Jessica, who were in court.

Ms Sandford has called for her son to be allowed to serve his sentence in the UK so he can receive psychiatric help.

Sandford, wearing leg irons and an orange prison uniform, became tearful as he addressed the court to apologise for his actions.

He said: "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."

Addressing the judge, he added: "I'm really sorry to you and the court for taking up so much time."

Prosecutors had asked for a sentence of up to 18 months.

Sandford's lawyers say he will now serve around four months, having been detained since June, before he is deported back to the UK.

Sandford - whose legs were shaking as he stood in the courtroom - was arrested at Treasure Island casino in Las Vegas where Mr Trump was addressing 1,500 supporters on June 18.

According to court documents, Sandford told a policeman at the rally that he wanted Mr Trump's autograph before he attempted to seize the officer's gun.

He was tackled by officers and frogmarched from the venue.

During a police interview, when asked why he attempted to grab the weapon, Sandford replied: "To shoot and kill Donald Trump," court records show.

Additional reporting by Press Association.