A man appeared in court today accused of causing distress to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor while he was walking his dogs. The individual, Alex Jenkinson, allegedly engaged in behavior that prompted the royal and his security team to seek refuge in his car at Marsh Farm, Sandringham Estate back in May. Originally scheduled for trial at Westminster magistrates court, the proceedings were postponed to a later date by Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring.
The court disclosed that Jenkinson’s trial is now set for December 21, with Mountbatten-Windsor anticipated to provide testimony remotely. Notably, the defendant will not be permitted to directly question the former prince. Legal arguments revolved around the admissibility of internet search evidence retrieved from Jenkinson’s phone. Allegedly, the police compiled 340 pages of search terms, including phrases like “Andrew’s Norfolk Security” and “Prince Andrew birthday.” The defense contested the relevance of these searches, citing insufficient detail provided by the Crown regarding their context and timing. The judge granted an extension until September 15 for the prosecution to submit the evidence, with a decision on its inclusion in the trial pending.
Should the evidence be admitted, both prosecution and defense are expected to present phone experts during the one-day trial. Additionally, witnesses Stephen Terry and Michael Duncan are slated to testify. Jenkinson, who had previously appeared in court with his arm in a sling, was arrested following an incident in Wolferton village, where he allegedly engaged in intimidating behavior towards Mountbatten-Windsor and Terry.
The court documents outline charges against Jenkinson for using abusive language and behavior to harass and cause distress to the individuals. He pled not guilty to these charges and was granted bail with several conditions, including refraining from entering Norfolk, contacting Mountbatten-Windsor, or visiting any royal properties. Chief Magistrate Goldspring specifically named Mountbatten-Windsor in the conditions to avoid ambiguity about his royal status.
Mountbatten-Windsor relocated to Wolferton following his departure from Royal Lodge due to associations with Jeffrey Epstein. Stripped of his royal title and state-funded protection, he now funds his private security with an allowance from the King. The former prince settled a civil case with Virginia Giuffre, denying allegations of misconduct related to Epstein.