A Saudi Prince was sentenced to life imprisonment in London last month for murdering his manservant in a ‘sexually motivated’ attack.
34-year-old Saud Bin Abdulaziz Bin Nasir al Saud, the grandson of Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah must serve a minimum of 20 years in prison for killing his servant, Bandar Abdulaziz.
The prince was sentenced on October 19 but was arrested back in February after Mr Abdulaziz was found beaten and strangled on the pair’s bed at the Landmark Hotel in London.
Mr al Saud admitted to the killing but denied that the two were lovers.
Justice David Bean told Mr al Saud that it would be wrong for him to sentence the Saudi Prince more severely or leniently because of his heritage, Associated Press reported.
The justice followed that Mr Abdulaziz was a ‘vulnerable’ individual who had been ‘exploited’ by his master since he hadn’t fought back as Mr al Saud had kicked and beaten him to death.
Prosecutor Jonathon Laidlow told the court that Mr Abdulaziz had suffered heavy blows to his head and face that had left his teeth chipped, his left eye swollen and his lips split open, among other injuries.
While Mr al Saud’s lawyer, John Kelsey-Fry denied that the prince was gay, the Old Bailey heard last week that there was conclusive evidence to the contrary as two male escorts had also allegedly performed sex acts on him.
Homosexuality is still illegal in Saudi Arabia and carried the death penalty in some cases, depending on the wishes of the family.
Mr al Saud could have faced execution in his home country had he been extradited, the London Court was told.
Kelsey-Fry also denied the pair were in a relationship although evidence indicated that the beatings had been going on for weeks.
Benn Dorrington
***
