It is alleged Alex Jenkinson, 39, caused alarm or distress to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, at Marsh Farm on the Sandringham Estate
Alex Jenkinson had been due to go on trial at Westminster magistrates’ court today(Image: Instagram)
A man accused of threatening Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor while he was out walking his dogs searched about the former prince’s security online, a court heard today.
Alex Jenkinson, 39, allegedly caused alarm or distress to the royal, who reportedly fled to his car along with his security team during the incident, which took place while he was out walking his dogs near Marsh Farm, on the Sandringham Estate, in May.He had been due to stand trial over the alleged offence today at Westminster magistrates court, but a new date was set by Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring.
The court heard Jenkinson is now set to go on trial on December 21, when Mr Mountbatten-Windsor is expected to give evidence via video-link from a location yet to be arranged. The defendant has been told he will not be allowed to personally question the former prince.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, previously known as Prince Andrew, arriving for the Requiem Mass service for the Duchess of Kent at Westminster Cathedral, central London, last September(Image: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire)
Today’s hearing included legal argument about whether evidence of internet searches allegedly found on Jenkinson’s phone can be included in the trial. The court today heard police have gathered 340 pages of key words from alleged internet searches, including “Andrew’s Norfolk Security” and “Prince Andrew birthday”.Claire Howell, for the defence, today argued that the searches have not been proven to be relevant and should not be allowed to be submitted as evidence as the Crown has provided insufficient detail of them, including proof of when or why the searches took place. The judge today gave the prosecution until September 15 to submit the evidence and ruled a decision on whether they can be included in the trial will be made a later date.If the evidence is allowed, both the prosecution and defence are expected to call phone experts to give evidence at the proposed one day trial, which will also see two other witnesses, Stephen Terry and Michael Duncan, take to the stand. The court heard the defendant has been given temporary accomodation “in a well-known hotel chain” and attended an appointment with a medical expert on Tuesday.
Alex Jenkinson was charged with two counts of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour to harass someone of cause alarm or distress(Image: Youtube)
The long-haired suspect previously appeared at Westminster magistrates court, via video link from King’s Lynn Police Investigation Centre, in May, with his right arm in a sling. No details of the alleged offences were given during that hearing, which saw Jenkinson repeatedly rub his face and seem surprised when he saw on a screen that his case was being heard in London, exclaiming “Westminster?”.
The hearing had originally been listed to be heard at Norwich magistrates court on the same day before being moved and then delayed until the afternoon. It came two days after police were called shortly after 7.30pm on May 6 to a report a man allegedly behaving in an intimidating manner in the village of Wolferton, where the King’s brother has been living since earlier this year.
Jenkinson was arrested before later being charged with two counts in relation to the incident, both of “using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour to harass someone or cause alarm or distress”; one against Mr Mountbatten-Windsor and another against a man called Stephen Terry on the same day.
The court charge sheet says he “used towards Stephen Terry threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause that person to believe that immediate unlawful violence would be used against him by any person, or to provoke the immediate use of unlawful violence by him whereby that person was likely to believe that such violence would be used, or it was likely that such violence would be provoked.”
The alleged incident took place close to Andrew’s home at Marsh Farm on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk
He today pleaded not guilty to both vharges of “using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour to harass someone or cause alarm or distress”. Jenkinson previously was handed an interim disqualification from driving after pleading guilty to a third charge – “failing to provide a specimen of blood in custody” – after officers suspected he had driven a vehicle on the same day.
As part of his bail conditions, Jenkinson was also told not to enter the county of Norfolk, not to contact Mr Mountbatten-Windsor directly or indirectly and not attend or attempt to attend any royal site, including the Sandringham Estate, Buckingham Palace, Balmoral, Windsor Castle and Highgrove.
Alex Jenkinson pleaded not guilty at a previous hearing in May(Image: Elizabeth Cook/PA Wire)
Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring included measures naming Mr Mountbatten-Windsor by name, rather than imposing a ban on Jenkinson contacting members of the royal family in order to avoid any potential ambiguity about whether Mr Mountbatten-Windsor constitutionally remains a member.
Mr Mountbatten-Windsor has been living in the village of Wolferton since being forced to leave his former Royal Lodge residence in Windsor, which was surrounded by a ring of steel, due to his friendship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein
He lost his rights to state-funded police protection when he was stripped of his royal title in 2022 during a civil case with Epstein’s late sex slave Virginia Giuffre, which he paid millions of pounds to settle, but admitted no wrongdoing in. Mr Mountbatten-Windsor, who has always denied any wrongdoing, has said he did not have sex with Ms Giuffre, who alleged she was trafficked to the UK by Epstein.
He was also stripped by the King of his right to be called a prince and his dukedom late last year over his links to Epstein and now pays for his own private security out of an allowance given to him by the King to meet his living expenses at Marsh Farm.
