Another week, another damaging report brought Prince Andrew’s alleged corruption to the forefront of British public opinion.
A London tribunal has ruled that private documents of the correspondence between Andrew’s top adviser and an alleged Chinese spy must be made public in a fortnight.
Dominic Hampshire, an aide and close friend of the Duke, had to submit a witness statement after Chinese businessman Yang Tengbo was expelled and banned from the UK.
The Telegraph reported:
“Mr. Yang was forced to leave the country on national security grounds in March 2023 and unsuccessfully challenged the decision at the Special Immigration Appeals Commission last year. UK authorities have alleged that he formed an ‘unusual degree of trust’ with the Duke and developed relationships with politicians to be ‘leveraged’ by China.”
Read: The Duke Is Desperate and Will Grab Onto Anything’: Chinese Businessman, Associate of Prince Andrew, Banned From UK as National Security Risk, Hid Connection to Communist Party
Yang denied all allegations, stating that he never did anything unlawful.
Media organizations have demanded that key documents in the case, including Mr. Hampshire’s statement, be released. And now, three judges ruled on Friday that his statement, and some commercial information related to Yang, is to be be disclosed.
“In a 25-page judgment, Mr. Justice Bourne, sitting with Judge Stephen Smith and Sir Stewart Eldon, said: ‘Substantial parts of the witness statement contain material which cannot possibly be said to be confidential, such as information about Mr. Hampshire’s background or about how he came to know Mr. Yang. There are also comments about Mr. Hampshire’s work with the Duke, which might seem embarrassing or indiscreet, but they are not such as to give rise to the inference that a legal duty of confidentiality attaches to them’.”
“The judges also ruled that commercial information relating to Mr Yang’s business dealings could be published. They said: ‘There is substantial public interest in reporting of international trading activity involving UK companies and in any involvement of any member of the Royal family in that activity’.”
All the documents must be provided by April 4.
Read more:
Disgraced Prince Andrew Invited Chinese Spy to Buckingham Palace and Other Royal Residences – Speculations Arise Parliament May Remove His Royal Title as Duke of York
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