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| Trial told of poker at the palace | |
| (41 minutes later) | |
| An ex-royal protection officer accused of a £3m betting and property scam has claimed colleagues played poker and traded porn while at Buckingham Palace. | An ex-royal protection officer accused of a £3m betting and property scam has claimed colleagues played poker and traded porn while at Buckingham Palace. |
| Paul Page, who allegedly cheated investors out of life savings, made the claims while giving evidence in his defence at Southwark Crown Court. | Paul Page, who allegedly cheated investors out of life savings, made the claims while giving evidence in his defence at Southwark Crown Court. |
| Mr Page, 38, of Grays, Essex, denies fraudulent trading and intimidation. | Mr Page, 38, of Grays, Essex, denies fraudulent trading and intimidation. |
| He is accused of taking from colleagues and others to set up a false investment scheme to finance a life of luxury. | He is accused of taking from colleagues and others to set up a false investment scheme to finance a life of luxury. |
| Mr Page has also pleaded not guilty to threatening to take revenge on a victim who spoke to police. | Mr Page has also pleaded not guilty to threatening to take revenge on a victim who spoke to police. |
| His wife Laura, 42, has been cleared of charges she originally faced in connection with the case. | His wife Laura, 42, has been cleared of charges she originally faced in connection with the case. |
| Officers were running poker games for money in down time Paul Page | |
| Opening his defence at Southwark Crown Court, father-of-five Mr Page said officers in the royal protection command could earn up to £60,000 a year with overtime "for doing very little". | Opening his defence at Southwark Crown Court, father-of-five Mr Page said officers in the royal protection command could earn up to £60,000 a year with overtime "for doing very little". |
| Shifts involved two hours on post, followed by at least an hour off post. | Shifts involved two hours on post, followed by at least an hour off post. |
| "Officers were running poker games for money in down time," he said. | "Officers were running poker games for money in down time," he said. |
| "There was one officer and he did sell porn. He used to get it from Holland, bring it back and sell it to officers while on duty." | "There was one officer and he did sell porn. He used to get it from Holland, bring it back and sell it to officers while on duty." |
| Prosecutors claim Mr Page had "developed a reputation for being good with money" after joining the Met Police's royalty protection command at Buckingham Palace in 1998. | |
| He encouraged colleagues to invest in his "Currency Club" by promising "unrealistically high" rates of return through spread betting, the court has heard. | |
| As the risky bets failed and losses mounted, the prosecution claims, he was forced to use new members' investments to pay longer-standing members interest. | |
| 'Class culture' | |
| When his cash flow problems continued to grow, he set up a property company which the Crown alleges was a front to fund his betting activities. | |
| Mr Page is said to have committed the offences between January 2003 and March 2007. | |
| The trial, which began two months ago, has previously heard allegations that officers responsible for guarding the Queen and other royals took photos of each other sitting on thrones. | |
| During Monday's proceedings, Mr Page claimed many members of the royal household instilled a class culture at Buckingham Palace. | |
| Royal protection officers were treated as a "necessary evil" who were expected to turn a blind eye to crime at the palace, including instances of domestic abuse in servants' quarters, he said. | |
| Mr Page - who is representing himself - told the court there was a steroid racket at the palace. | |
| He also described a colleague being given access to guns despite suffering side-effects from the drugs, including mood swings. | |
| The trial continues. |