British royal blackmail trial begins

LONDON, England (AP) -- Two men appeared in a London court Monday accused of trying to blackmail a member of Britain's royal family with sex and drug allegations.

Ian Strachan, 30, and Sean McGuigan, 40, deny demanding £50,000 ($100,000; €65,000) "with menaces" from a male member of the royal family.

The case reportedly centers on a video that shows a royal aide allegedly taking drugs and boasting of engaging in a sex act with the royal.

A court order bars journalists from naming the alleged victim or any potential witnesses. Judge Jeremy Cooke has ruled that parts of the trial should be heard in private, with members of the public excluded from court.

Buckingham Palace has refused to comment on the case, but British media have reported that the blackmail target was not a senior member of the royal family.

Dressed in suits, Strachan and McGuigan sat in the dock at the Central Criminal Court as the hearing opened with jury selection. The jury is expected to be sworn in on Tuesday, followed by opening arguments from the prosecution.

The two men have been in jail since they were arrested in a police sting operation at a London hotel on September 11.

An undercover detective posing as a royal aide reportedly contacted the alleged blackmailers and arranged the meeting at the London Hilton.

If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.

The trial is expected to last a month. E-mail to a friend

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