Royal 'Blackmail' Plot Tapes Played In Secret Court Session
Written by Joanne Leyland
Sunday, 20 April 2008
The
Old Bailey jury at the trial of two men accused of blackmailing a junior member
of the royal family have heard the tapes which form the central allegation at
the heart of the alleged plot to extort £50,000 from a member of the House of Windsor.
The tapes were played during a closed court session.
Only the jurors and other legally interested parties listened to
the recordings in which it was claimed that the married member of
the royal family – who does not perform any official engagements and
therefore
receives no money from the state – performed a sex act on a male
employee.
The minor royal, who cannot be named in Britain due to legal
reasons, was once again
referred to during Monday’s court hearings as ‘Witness A’. The royal
will not be called to give evidence and will play no part in the trial.
The male employee is referred to in court as 'Witness D'.
The two defendants, Ian Strachan and Sean McGuigan, deny making "an
unwarranted demand with menaces".
