Sex Charge

Underage Sex Allegations Against Prince Philip's Former Equerry Rock Palace

A 79 year-old former equerry to Prince Philip is the latest pensioner to be charged with alleged historic sex crimes

A 79 year-old former aide to Prince Philip has become the latest pensioner to be charged with historic sex attacks as the fallout from the Jimmy Savile scandal continues to provoke police investigations in the UK.

Last month, the children’s entertainer, Rolf Harris, 84, was jailed for five years for sex offenses dating back to the late 1960s.

Benjamin Herman, 79, a former Marine, who has been on bail for 18 months, faces three charges of indecent assault and one of attempted indecent assault on a child while working at Buckingham Palace between 1972 and 1974. He will be in court next week to face the charges formally.

The alleged victim, who is now in her fifties, is said to have come forward with the allegations in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal.

At the time of the alleged offences against the girl, who was 12 at the time, he lived at Windsor, Berkshire, but was also based at Wellington Barracks, near the Palace and was a personal attendant to the Duke.

He worked as the Duke’s equerry, a trusted personal aide, from 1971 to 1974, attending public and private engagements, and was appointed to Princess Anne’s staff at her request when she married Mark Phillips in 1974.

The Mirror reports that detectives have spoken to several former royal staff members, and have gone through the duke’s official diaries relating to the time period.

When asked whether he would fight the allegations, Mr Herman told the paper: “Of course,” but declined to give any further comment.

Buckingham Palace has declined to comment on the allegation

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Tom SykesEuropean Editor at Large

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