Strict conditions in place as Thomas Markle released on bail after child abuse image arrest
Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse which some readers may find distressing.
The Duchess of Sussex’s father Thomas Markle will be subject to strict new conditions following his release on bail after appearing in a US court accused of possessing child sex abuse material.
The 82-year-old, charged with one count of possession of child pornography, will be on home detention and electronic tagging as part of conditions, with travel restrictions also imposed on him.
Thomas Markle Senior, who did not enter a plea at the hearing in Tampa, Florida, was ordered ordered to undergo a psychiatric exam, following concerns he may not be unable to understand the proceedings or properly assist his lawyer.
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He was pictured in handcuffs in a wheelchair as FBI agents escorted him from a Florida retirement home and was transported by ambulance for the hearing.
Markle Senior had been arrested by FBI agents on Friday after they seized a haul of material from two Los Angeles storage units he rented for nearly two decades, police said.
He came under investigation after he was reported to police in the Philippines and the FBI last month by his son, Thomas Markle Jr, who allegedly found illegal images in his father’s belongings in Cebu City.
Mr Markle Jr told The Sun he had tipped off the authorities about the LA storage facilities. Later speaking to the Daily Mail, Markle Sr denied the allegations and said he had 'no idea why Tom is trying to destroy me with these lies'.
He said: "I'm shocked, I'm hurt and I'm very upset that my son is making these accusations against me.
"I could never do what I'm being accused of. It's the worst thing anyone could accuse me of."
The FBI searched the units registered to Markle Sr, which he had rented since 2008, where they seized about 78 items, including slides, film negatives, and books that contained suspected child sex abuse material, they revealed.
Two of the images were alleged to depict an adult man with a nude young girl. A witness 'positively identified' Markle with a nude young girl from the photograph.
In one of them, according to court documents, the man 'appears to be in the age range of 30s to 40s', which suggests the alleged abuse dates back decades. Other photographs allegedly show Markle with children in various stages of undress.
If convicted, Markle would face at least 20 years in federal prison.
First assistant US attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement: “Mr Markle is accused of possessing child sexual abuse material, including photographs depicting himself with minor girls.
“These allegations are extremely serious, and we will prosecute Mr Markle to the fullest extent of federal law.”
FBI director Kash Patel meanwhile said: “Mr Markle allegedly targeted innocent children and sought to steal their innocence through his criminal actions.
“Working with our Justice Department partners, our agents moved quickly, identified and located the explicit material, and arrested Mr Markle in Florida.
“This FBI will use every single resource at our disposal to protect innocent kids – any predator who targets children will have zero safe haven in this country or anywhere they try to hide.”
Markle Sr, who was living in a dementia care home in the US, has admitted paying for sex in the Philippines but has denied ever possessing child abuse imagery.
Meghan, who moved back to the UK with Harry in August, said she was 'deeply distressed' at the allegations about her father, from whom she has been estranged since the run-up to her 2018 wedding.
She revealed she was sent a letter via the police which made 'troubling and disturbing allegations' about her father, but she was given assurances these were being investigated.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000, 10am-8pm Monday to Friday. If you are a child seeking advice and support, call Childline for free on 0800 1111, 24/7.
Topics: Meghan Markle, US News
James Holt
