Saudi prince may face death penalty over gay claims

The Prince of Saudi Arabia, Saud Bin Abdulaziz Bin Nasir al Saud, has been accused of murdering his aide in London and could face death penalty over allegations of homosexuality in his own country.

The 34-year-old who is the grandson of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah allegedly killed his aide in February after sexually abusing him for weeks. He has admitted to manslaughter but denies being gay.

The prince is alleged to have murdered the servant in a ferocious attack with a "sexual element".

However, his lawyer John Kelsey-Fry has denied suggestions that the two men were in a gay relationship.Prosecutor Bobbie Cheema told England's Old Bailey central criminal court: "Homosexuality is illegal in Saudi Arabia and carries the death penalty which is still applied in some cases.”