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Royal 'blackmail' - two in court Royal 'blackmail' charges denied
(about 4 hours later)
Two men have appeared in court charged with a blackmail plot involving a member of the Royal Family. Two men have denied being involved in an alleged plot to blackmail a member of the Royal Family.
Ian Strachan, 30, , of Chelsea, west London, and Sean McGuigan, 40, of Battersea, south London, are alleged to have made demands with menaces. Ian Strachan, 30, and Sean McGuigan, 40, pleaded not guilty at the Old Bailey and were remanded in custody to face trial on 14 April next year.
The alleged victim cannot be named for legal reasons. The royal did not know the defendants and is not expected to be a witness in the case. Mr Strachan, of Chelsea, west London, and Mr McGuigan, of Battersea, south London, appeared in court by video link from two different prisons.
The men are charged with blackmail under Section 21 of the Theft Act 1968. They waved and greeted each other on screen before the hearing.
Mr Strachan and Mr McGuigan are remanded in custody. The junior member of the Royal Family, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was not directly involved and is not due to be a witness.
The two men were charged that "between January 1 and September 12, this year, with a view to gain for yourselves, made an unwarranted demand for £50,000 from a male with menaces".
They were arrested after an undercover sting operation by police at a central London hotel in September.