Blackmailers targeted British royal with gay sex claims

Two men tried to blackmail a member of the royal family with claims he had performed a gay sex act, a London court heard Tuesday.

Ian Strachan and Sean McGuigan demanded 50,000 pounds in return for not publicising mobile phone footage including allegations about the unidentified royal, a prosecutor said.

The recordings also contained "scandalous and disparaging remarks" about other royals, as well as allegations of "impropriety" about the victim's business affairs, the Central Criminal Courtwas told.

The royal in question cannot be identified, and was referred to in court only as witness A.

Both defendants have denied the charge that they made "an unwarranted demand with menaces."

In early 2007 property developer Strachan, 30, and McGuigan, 40, made a series of audio and video recordings of a man who had been employed for some years by the royal, said prosecutor Mark Ellison.

Much of the eight hours of audio and video files was recorded when the man was drunk or "under the influence of other substances."

 See Blackmailers targeted British royal with gay sex claims
AFP