Killer Saudi Prince Gets Life

Following a three-week trial, a 34-year-old Saudi Prince has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 20 years for murdering his servant in a top London hotel.

Saud Bin Abdulaziz Bin Nasir Bin Abdulaziz al Saud was found guilty of the murder of fellow Saudi Arabian 32-year-old Bandar Abdullah Abdulaziz at the Landmark Hotel in central London on 15 February 2010.

In addition he was found guilty of grievous bodily harm against Bandar on 22 January 2010.

The defendant had funded a luxury five star hotel stay in Marylebone Road with the victim, who he described to police as a "friend", while they were travelling together. They had arrived at the hotel on 20 January 2010, having been on holiday in the Maldives.

Investigating detectives from the Metropolitan Police Service's Homicide Command believe their relationship was more like an old style "master and servant", with Saud Abdulaziz dominating the victim who appeared submissive in his presence.

During the trial, the prosecution also stated that they had a homosexual relationship and argued that there was a sexual element to the murder.

At 16.47 on Monday, 15 February, hotel staff called London Ambulance Service stating that Bandar Abdulaziz was bleeding from the ear and appeared dead. Paramedics attended the hotel and found the victim in bed in the room he was sharing with the defendant. They pronounced "no signs of life" and contacted police.

After police attended, Saud Abdulaziz told police that Bandar Abdulaziz had been attacked and robbed sometime between 21 and 23 January in the Edgware Road area, apparently attributing his death to injuries sustained during this alleged incident.

However, a pathologist who attended the scene said the victim appeared to have suffered from injuries within the last 24 hours, consistent with being punched and kicked. Officers began examining CCTV from within the hotel which showed the defendant subjecting the victim to a beating for two minutes in one of the hotel's lifts. The victim is seen cowering, trying to cover his head and face, while passively taking the beating during an apparently unprovoked attack.

Further CCTV footage showed another assault by the defendant on the victim in the lift on 5 February 2010.

Saud Abdulaziz was arrested and taken to Paddington police station that evening where he was interviewed the following day. During interview he maintained that the victim had been attacked during an earlier robbery, which had resulted in the injuries and a large quantity of cash being stolen. The alleged robbery had not been reported to police and officers found no evidence that it had occurred.

A post mortem examination conducted at Westminster mortuary gave the cause of death as compression to the neck and head injury. A series of injuries were found - some historic, some recent and others having occurred within 24 hours. The pathologist stated that the fatal injuries were new and could not be attributed to an earlier incident.

In the hotel suite there was evidence that attempts had been made to clear up the blood and that the victim's body had been dragged from the bathroom into the hallway, to the bedroom and on to the bed in an attempt to cover his tracks.

Sentencing him, Mr Justice Bean said: "It is very unusual for a prince to be in the dock on a murder charge.

"No-one in this country is above the law.

"It would be wrong for me to sentence you either more severely or more leniently because of your membership of the Saudi royal family."

He added: "You killed Bandar in the course of a sustained and ferocious assault.

"Bandar was a vulnerable victim, entirely subjugated to your will. You were in a position of authority and trust over him which you exploited ruthlessly."

(BMcN/GK)