Man accused of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor threat faces December trial

A man charged with threatening Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor near his home on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk will stand trial in December.

Alex Jenkinson, 39, is accused of causing the former Duke of York to "fear unlawful violence" during an encounter as he walked his dogs on 6 May.

The trial - which will begin on 21 December - is expected to include evidence from Mountbatten-Windsor via videolink.

Jenkinson is accused of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour and had been due to stand trial on Wednesday. At Westminster Magistrates' Court, chief magistrate Paul Goldspring postponed proceedings over concerns about the defendant's mental health.

Jenkinson, who was not in court on Wednesday, denies the public order offence against Mountbatten-Windsor and also a further charge of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause fear or provoke unlawful violence against another man called Stephen Terry in King's Lynn a day earlier.

The defendant is on conditional bail and cannot go near Sandringham, Buckingham Palace, Balmoral, Windsor or Highgrove.

He is also forbidden from trying to contact Mountbatten-Windsor directly or indirectly, or approach him or enter Norfolk.

Mountbatten-Windsor has been living in Marsh Farm after leaving Royal Lodge in Windsor due to his association with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

He was stripped by the King of his right to be a prince and his dukedom late last year over his links to Epstein.

Mountbatten-Windsor has always denied any wrongdoing.