A judge banned reporting of Prince Andrew’s role as Commodore of a historic private members club out of fear the Royal’s ties to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein could taint a sexual assault trial.
Recorder Annabel Darlow QC imposed the unusual court order last week, while overseeing the trial of millionaire entrepreneur Peter Bonham Christie at Isleworth crown court.
Mr Bonham Christie had been accused of groping a woman outside the Royal Thames Yacht club in Knightsbridge in November 2018. He was found not guilty by a jury on Friday.
Following the acquittal, it can now be reported how the judge banned reporters covering the trial from mentioning Prince Andrew or Jeffrey Epstein.
She also prevented news organisations from publishing comments from members of the public alongside coverage of the trial, saying the measures were “necessary to avoid a substantial risk of prejudice”.
The issue was raised on the second day of the trial, after a news report of the prosecutor’s opening remarks highlighted that Prince Andrew is the current Commodore of the Royal Thames Yacht Club.
The article went on to detail the Royal’s links with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Applying for the order, Mr Bonham Christie’s barrister Felicity Gerry QC said a “very large picture of Prince Andrew” had been included in the MailOnline article, even though he was not referenced at all in the trial proceedings.
“This is not in any way a criticism of Prince Andrew, but simply because he is so connected with the Jeffrey Epstein investigation”, she said, explaining the application for a reporting ban.
She argued readers could be erroneously led to believe Mr Bonham Christie was linked to Epstein, raising fears that jurors might read news about the case.
The website of the Royal Thames Yacht Club, which was founded in 1775, says Prince Andrew is the current Commodore, while Prince Charles is Admiral and Prince Philip is the Patron.
Mr Bonham Christie, 39, faced a claim of groping the woman in November 2018 after accompanying a client to the exclusive club overlooking Hyde Park.
When questioned by police in March 2019, the luxury and antique car dealer denied any inappropriate touching and called claims of a sexual assault “nonsense”.
Bonham Christie, from Lymington in Hampshire, denied sexual assault and was found not guilty following a four-day trial.
