Blackmail suspect was 'entrapped'

Ian Strachan (above) and Sean McGuigan deny blackmail charges

A man accused of blackmailing a Royal Family member has told a court he was entrapped in an attempt to protect a business deal.

Ian Strachan said a friend of the royal tried to persuade him to take £50,000 for tapes featuring sex claims.

He said the friend claimed to want tape copyright for a "legitimate" deal.

Mr Strachan, 31, and Sean McGuigan, 41, both of London, deny demanding £50,000 to prevent the sale of tapes of alleged gay sex claims against the royal.

The Old Bailey has heard claims that the men recorded tapes of a royal employee, witness D, in which he claimed that an unnamed royal performed a sex act on him.

'Business deal'

And it is claimed that they tried to extort £50,000 from the royal, known as witness A, having failed to sell the tapes to newspapers.

Mr Strachan said the royal's friend persuaded him that purchasing the copyright of the material was a "perfectly legitimate business deal".

And he added that he and co-defendant Sean McGuigan had never asked for any money for the tapes containing claims about the royal.

Jurors heard that the two men would travel to France to carry out the transaction with a friend of the royal, known as witness C.

Mr Strachan said: "I don't think there was any prospect of it. He was planning to entrap us in France... to avoid a scandal.

Sting operation

"He stood to profit by many millions of pounds with A from a business deal."

And, when Mark Ellison QC, prosecuting, asked if the defendant felt he was being entrapped, Mr Strachan said: "That is what it seems like to me to be quite honest."

The two defendants were arrested in an undercover police sting operation at a London hotel last September.

When questioned about his motivation for going to the press, if it was not money, Mr Strachan told the court: "D was planning on going to the press himself and I thought we would steal his thunder, expose him in the way he was thinking about exposing A and other members of the Royal Family in a much more sensational way."

'Without foundation'

Ronald Thwaites QC, representing Mr McGuigan, read an extract of a statement to police by the member of the Royal Family, made six days before Mr Strachan and Mr McGuigan were arrested.

The royal told officers witness C "kept me informed about a number of contacts with initially a man called Sean and subsequently another male named Ian".

Witness A continued: "I am aware of comments made in this video although no one on my side or representing me has seen the alleged video.

"As far as these comments, attributed to D, about my personal and professional life are concerned, I can only say they are spurious and without foundation."

Witness A said in the statement he was making a formal complaint and wished the matter to be fully investigated.

Jurors were told Mr McGuigan would not be called to give evidence and the defence case was closed.

The trial was adjourned until Wednesday.