2007 royal blackmail plot
Encyclopedia
The 2007 royal blackmail plot was a UK scandal in which two men attempted to blackmail a relation of the British Royal Family
. The relative of the royal family was alleged to have been involved in activities involving drug taking, performing oral sex on a male aide and other things.
Buckingham Palace
refused to comment on the situation after The Sunday Times
reported the story on 28 October 2007. A spokesperson for the palace only stated that it was a police matter and that Scotland Yard
was investigating.
The two defendants in the case were Ian Strachan and Sean McGuigan. Strachan, who was arrested on 11 September 2007, was charged under the Theft Act 1968
and was held in custody in Belmarsh Prison
. He first applied for bail
on 2 November, but this was refused. An appeal was also turned down on 8 December. They pleaded not guilty at the pre-trial hearing on 20 December 2007; the trial began on 14 April 2008.
The two men were convicted on 2 May 2008. Each was sentenced to a period of five years.
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
. The relative of the royal family was alleged to have been involved in activities involving drug taking, performing oral sex on a male aide and other things.
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
refused to comment on the situation after The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
reported the story on 28 October 2007. A spokesperson for the palace only stated that it was a police matter and that Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
was investigating.
The two defendants in the case were Ian Strachan and Sean McGuigan. Strachan, who was arrested on 11 September 2007, was charged under the Theft Act 1968
Theft Act 1968
The Theft Act 1968 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It creates a number of offences against property in England and Wales.On 15 January 2007 the Fraud Act 2006 came into force, redefining most of the offences of deception.-History:...
and was held in custody in Belmarsh Prison
Belmarsh (HM Prison)
HM Prison Belmarsh is a Category A men's prison, located in the Thamesmead area of the London Borough of Greenwich, in south-east London, England. Belmarsh Prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service...
. He first applied for bail
Bail
Traditionally, bail is some form of property deposited or pledged to a court to persuade it to release a suspect from jail, on the understanding that the suspect will return for trial or forfeit the bail...
on 2 November, but this was refused. An appeal was also turned down on 8 December. They pleaded not guilty at the pre-trial hearing on 20 December 2007; the trial began on 14 April 2008.
The two men were convicted on 2 May 2008. Each was sentenced to a period of five years.