Saudi prince ‘was not in gay relationship with servant’

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The Saudi prince accused of killing his servant in a London hotel was not in a gay relationship with him, his lawyer said.

Saud Abdulaziz bin Nasser al Saud, 34, was accused of murdering Bandar Abdulaziz, 32, in a “sexually-motivated” attack last February.

The pair were staying at the Landmark Hotel in Marylebone and Mr Abdulaziz was found beaten and strangled in the room they were sharing. He is said to have been found with bite marks on his face.

Yesterday, prosecutor Jonathan Laidlaw QC said: “The evidence establishes quite conclusively that [Mr al Saud] is either gay or that he has homosexual tendencies.”

According to BBC News, the defendant’s lawyer, John Kelsey-Fry QC, said today that it was “not accepted” that the pair were gay.

He was cross-examining Dobomir Dimitrov, a porter at the hotel.

Mr Dimitrov, who is gay, said he believed the pair were in an relationship. “I would describe them as a gay couple,” he said.

Michel Lengui, deputy manager at Scalini’s restaurant, said the pair had dined there with another man on January 24th. He said: “One of them looked a bit effeminate and therefore I assumed they might have been gay.”

Mr Abdulaziz was found beaten and strangled in bed at the pair’s room on February 15th.

Mr al Saud admits the killing but denies murder and one count of grievous bodily harm with intent. The jury at the Old Bailey is to decide whether he is guilty of murder or manslaughter.

The case continues.

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