Prince Andrew aide asks court to withhold testimony on alleged spy
Prince Andrew’s supreme aide urged the court to reject his description of the prince’s relationship with alleged Chinese spies because he did not realize it could become public.
Dominic Hampshire played a key role in the development of Yang Tengbo’s relationship with the Duke of York – but the full details of what happened between the three are still Not clear.
Last month, an intelligence assessment said he could work for the Chinese state secretly, so the court rejected Mr Yang’s appeal against the banned UK. Mr. Yang denied all misconduct.
Attorneys from the BBC and other media organizations argued on Friday on the Special Immigration Appeals Board (SIAC) that Mr Hampshire could not determine whether it would be publicly private simply because of his lack of “common sense”.
The court said in December that Mr. Yang formed “unusual trust” with the prince And he did not disclose his connection with the Chinese Communist Party’s secret participation in political intervention.
It upheld the Home Secretary’s conclusion that he posed a threat to national security.
The BBC and other news organizations are now asking SIAC to issue a witness statement, Mr Hampshire supported Mr Young after the British Intelligence Company first contacted his assistant.
Mr Hampshire’s attorney said in his filing on Friday that he had sought assurance from Mr Young’s attorney that witness statements would remain private – he only realized that he could make it public when he arrived at the appeal hearing last July.
Mr Hampshire then withdrew the statement to prevent public statements.
“I was told (in the statement) that the information (in the statement) would remain private and confidential,” Mr Hampshire told the court in a written submission Friday.
“If any issues are available in the public domain, I will not be warned.
“If I had been, I would never agree to submit a witness statement, let alone get into the level of confidential detail I did.
“I wrote in this candid way what I did in the statement – including my own confidential business interests, and also about the private interests of third parties – in expectation that this is a private concern of one of the most senior ministries in the country A serious matter.
“If I knew there were any opportunities to use in a public or potentially public forum, I wouldn’t have voluntarily written about these issues at all.”
Adam Wolanski KC, representing the media organization, said there was a very strong public interest case, publishing Mr Hampshire’s account to journalists, as well as other documents that remain confidential.
“What is unusual is that one person in Mr. Hampshire’s position was clearly accused of representing the Duke of York on confidential and sensitive matters, without bothering to obtain his own legal advice before agreeing to provide witness statements to Young.” Wallans Mr. Kee is in writing.
“Mr. Hampshire cannot pray for his mysterious and unexplained decisions, and without seeking his own legal advice, to make witness statements on this apparently controversial issue.
“He should not be allowed to benefit from his kindness, lack of common sense, and bad decisions he made without legal advice.
“Instead, the court must open its eyes to make this decision, knowing that the evidence may be made public.”
After an interview with the BBC’s Newsight program in November 2019, Yang became Prince Andrew’s trusted confidante, detailing Duke’s friendship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The consequences of the interview resulted in the prince withdrawing from public duties – in the UK and China, his commercially successful Dragon-style investor activity ended.
In March 2020, Mr Hampshire told Mr Yang in a letter that he managed to save the prince’s reputation in China.
Seven months later, the businessman was authorized to represent the Chinese prince, who plans to invest in a $3 billion investment fund.
The Eurasian Fund program aims to raise cash to invest in Chinese national projects in Africa and the Middle East.
The development of the region is the cornerstone of the Communist Party of China’s plan to expand diplomatic and financial influence.
The discovery of the plan, as well as concerns about the prince being incorporated into a complex Beijing plan to influence him and lead the Home Secretary from Britain to ban Mr. Yang.
He denied all misconduct – saying he was a legal businessman who had worked for decades to improve the ties between China and the UK.
Mr. Yang studied in the UK in 2002 and later established a series of travel and business consulting companies related to China.
He met the Duke of York in 2014 and later played a role in the “Pitch@Palace” event of the Chinese-based version of Prince Andrew, where entrepreneurs sold their ideas to investors.
SIAC will later decide whether further documents in the case will be made public.
