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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Terror police 'probed royal case' | Terror police 'probed royal case' |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Anti-terror police were called in to deal with a royal gay sex blackmail investigation, a court has heard. | Anti-terror police were called in to deal with a royal gay sex blackmail investigation, a court has heard. |
| The Old Bailey was told that Det Insp Paul Harty led a team of 30 officers after being contacted by the royal protection department last August. | The Old Bailey was told that Det Insp Paul Harty led a team of 30 officers after being contacted by the royal protection department last August. |
| Police obtained £50,000 of public money in case the alleged blackmailers asked to see the cash, the court heard. | Police obtained £50,000 of public money in case the alleged blackmailers asked to see the cash, the court heard. |
| Ian Strachan, 31, and Sean McGuigan, 41, both of London, deny blackmailing a Royal Family member known as Witness A. | Ian Strachan, 31, and Sean McGuigan, 41, both of London, deny blackmailing a Royal Family member known as Witness A. |
| 'Written agreement' | 'Written agreement' |
| Det Insp Harty told the jury that a demand for money was only "implicit", and that the cash had never been shown to the defendants. | Det Insp Harty told the jury that a demand for money was only "implicit", and that the cash had never been shown to the defendants. |
| The officer, a member of the SO15 counter-terrorism unit, said the inquiry was launched on 29 August. | The officer, a member of the SO15 counter-terrorism unit, said the inquiry was launched on 29 August. |
| He told the court: "Because royalty protection don't have their own investigative wing, there is a written agreement that we will assist on certain investigations for them." | He told the court: "Because royalty protection don't have their own investigative wing, there is a written agreement that we will assist on certain investigations for them." |
| Det Insp Harty said SO15 would not normally deal with blackmail cases. | Det Insp Harty said SO15 would not normally deal with blackmail cases. |
| Ronald Thwaites QC, representing Mr McGuigan, said: "The treatment of this case was different because it came to you in circumstances where it wouldn't otherwise do so as a result of the person involved being a member of the Royal Family?" | Ronald Thwaites QC, representing Mr McGuigan, said: "The treatment of this case was different because it came to you in circumstances where it wouldn't otherwise do so as a result of the person involved being a member of the Royal Family?" |
| Det Insp Harty replied: "As a result of the written agreement, a policy." | |
| He said he met Witness A on 3 September and a statement was taken from him two days later. | |
| After a further six days a "sting" operation was conducted in room 713 of the Hilton Hotel in London's Park Lane. | |
| During the operation an officer was in possession of £50,000 which could be "flashed to the suspects" if necessary. | |
| Denying that the 80-minute meeting had failed, Det Insp Harty told the court there had been an "implicit demand for money". | |
| Sex claim | Sex claim |
| The court has heard that Mr Strachan and Mr McGuigan used a mobile phone to record several allegations about Witness A made by a royal employee, known as Witness D. | The court has heard that Mr Strachan and Mr McGuigan used a mobile phone to record several allegations about Witness A made by a royal employee, known as Witness D. |
| The claims included Witness A performing a sex act on Witness D and other "scandalous" comments about the Royal Family. | The claims included Witness A performing a sex act on Witness D and other "scandalous" comments about the Royal Family. |
| The court also heard that Witness D claimed on the recordings that the member of the Royal Family tried to "feel him up". | |
| The defendants are alleged to have tried to blackmail Witness A, after failing to sell the recordings to newspapers. | The defendants are alleged to have tried to blackmail Witness A, after failing to sell the recordings to newspapers. |
| Mr Strachan, of Fulham, and Mr McGuigan, of Battersea, are charged with making "an unwarranted demand with menaces" of £50,000. | Mr Strachan, of Fulham, and Mr McGuigan, of Battersea, are charged with making "an unwarranted demand with menaces" of £50,000. |
| The trial was adjourned until Wednesday. |