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Pair jailed for royal blackmail | Pair jailed for royal blackmail |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Two men who demanded £50,000 from a Royal Family member in exchange for tapes featuring gay sex claims have been jailed for blackmail. | Two men who demanded £50,000 from a Royal Family member in exchange for tapes featuring gay sex claims have been jailed for blackmail. |
Ian Strachan and Sean McGuigan were jailed for five years each for attempting to extort money from the unidentified royal. | Ian Strachan and Sean McGuigan were jailed for five years each for attempting to extort money from the unidentified royal. |
His identity had been concealed during the two-and-a-half-week-long trial. | His identity had been concealed during the two-and-a-half-week-long trial. |
Strachan, 31, and McGuigan, 41, both of London, had denied charges of demanding money with menaces. | Strachan, 31, and McGuigan, 41, both of London, had denied charges of demanding money with menaces. |
Among the claims in the recordings were that the royal, referred to as witness A, performed a sex act on his employee, witness D, at a party. | Among the claims in the recordings were that the royal, referred to as witness A, performed a sex act on his employee, witness D, at a party. |
Strachan, who is originally from Aberdeen, in Scotland, and McGuigan had used the tapes to demand money from the royal after trying, unsuccessfully, to sell them to newspapers. | Strachan, who is originally from Aberdeen, in Scotland, and McGuigan had used the tapes to demand money from the royal after trying, unsuccessfully, to sell them to newspapers. |
Prosecutions for blackmail are rare but it is a serious offence which can involve the victims making themselves vulnerable Mark Carroll, CPS How the blackmail plot unfolded | Prosecutions for blackmail are rare but it is a serious offence which can involve the victims making themselves vulnerable Mark Carroll, CPS How the blackmail plot unfolded |
Mark Ellison QC, prosecuting, told the court that it had been a "classic example of blackmail". | Mark Ellison QC, prosecuting, told the court that it had been a "classic example of blackmail". |
The two men were arrested in a sting operation at a London hotel by undercover police officers last September. | The two men were arrested in a sting operation at a London hotel by undercover police officers last September. |
The Old Bailey heard that Strachan was a "Walter Mitty"-type fantasist who routinely claimed to be a friend of royals and lived an extravagant lifestyle. | The Old Bailey heard that Strachan was a "Walter Mitty"-type fantasist who routinely claimed to be a friend of royals and lived an extravagant lifestyle. |
McGuigan, who is a recovering alcoholic, contacted A's representatives last July and was present as the tapes were played to an undercover officer, who posed as a royal aide, in a meeting shortly before the pair were arrested. | McGuigan, who is a recovering alcoholic, contacted A's representatives last July and was present as the tapes were played to an undercover officer, who posed as a royal aide, in a meeting shortly before the pair were arrested. |
The judge, Mr Justice Cooke, said the offence was so serious that the pair had to be jailed. | The judge, Mr Justice Cooke, said the offence was so serious that the pair had to be jailed. |
He told them: "The corrosive evil of blackmail means that any sentence must have a deterrent effect." | He told them: "The corrosive evil of blackmail means that any sentence must have a deterrent effect." |
And the judge said he was sure that the men had acted together to target the royal - a victim who was "particularly susceptible". | And the judge said he was sure that the men had acted together to target the royal - a victim who was "particularly susceptible". |
Reconstructed excerpt of blackmail recording | |
Mr Justice Cooke said the two men had encouraged D to make "scurrilous accusations" and collected "scurrilous and salacious" material against A and his family. | Mr Justice Cooke said the two men had encouraged D to make "scurrilous accusations" and collected "scurrilous and salacious" material against A and his family. |
Following the guilty verdict, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) reviewing lawyer Mark Carroll said: "Although they claimed to be acting in the interests of the victim, the jury rejected this story and agreed with the prosecution that they were simply interested in the money. | Following the guilty verdict, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) reviewing lawyer Mark Carroll said: "Although they claimed to be acting in the interests of the victim, the jury rejected this story and agreed with the prosecution that they were simply interested in the money. |
"Prosecutions for blackmail are rare but it is a serious offence which can involve the victims making themselves vulnerable in order that the case comes to trial." | "Prosecutions for blackmail are rare but it is a serious offence which can involve the victims making themselves vulnerable in order that the case comes to trial." |
He added that the CPS "will not hesitate to prosecute blackmail cases and we will always seek to protect the anonymity of blackmail victims". | He added that the CPS "will not hesitate to prosecute blackmail cases and we will always seek to protect the anonymity of blackmail victims". |
The trial is thought to have cost at least £1m. | The trial is thought to have cost at least £1m. |