The
two men accused of attempting to blackmail a minor member of the Royal Family
are due to appear at the Old Bailey today.
Currently remanded in custody following an earlier hearing, 30-year-old
Ian Strachan and 40-year-old Sean McGuigan are charged with
blackmail contrary to S21 of the Theft Act 1968, alleging they made
demand with
menaces.
The identity of the minor royal cannot even be hinted at in Britain due to legal reasons.
The two men were arrested after allegedly attempting to extort money, believed to be
around £50,000, from a police officer who went undercover as a representative of
the minor royal during a sting operation at the Hilton Hotel in London in early September.
The minor royal, who carries out no official engagements, is not believed to have known the two defendants, nor are
they expected to appear as a witness in the case.
