Duke Of Marlborough Appears In Court Over Strangulation Charges

A senior aristocrat has denied a string of serious assault allegations in a case that has drawn attention because of his family history and a famous ancestral home. Charles James Spencer-Churchill, the 12th Duke of Marlborough, appeared at High Wycombe magistrates’ court on Monday and indicated not guilty pleas to three counts of intentional strangulation. Prosecutors say the incidents involving his estranged wife, 57-year-old Edla Marlborough, took place between November 2022 and April 2024. The court heard that on 13 November 2022 the duke allegedly struck her several times after an argument in their garden and placed his hands around her neck. A second incident is said to have happened on 23 April 2023, when she ran into a laundry room and was allegedly grabbed, hit with a closed fist and strangled. The final allegation relates to 29 January 2024, when he is accused of pushing her onto a bed and again applying pressure to her neck. Spencer-Churchill, 70, confirmed his name, date of birth and gave his address as Blenheim Palace during the brief hearing. He was granted conditional bail and is due at Oxford Crown Court on 5 February, where he will be asked to formally enter pleas. The case has uncanny echoes of history. Spencer-Churchill is a distant relative of Winston Churchill and Diana, Princess of Wales, and Blenheim Palace — the family’s 18th-century baroque seat and a Unesco world heritage site — is the birthplace of Winston Churchill. Yet the palace is not his personal property: it is held by a foundation, and the estate was originally granted to the first Duke of Marlborough by Queen Anne in 1704. He succeeded his father, John Spencer-Churchill, as duke in 2014. The defendant, formerly the Marquess of Blandford, married Edla in 2002; they separated earlier this year. The allegations underline that even those with longstanding titles and high-profile addresses are subject to the criminal justice process. The duke has indicated not guilty pleas; the next stage will be the crown court hearing in February where the formal pleas will be entered and the matter progresses through the courts. As always, legal proceedings are ongoing and the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The case will be watched closely, both because of its serious nature and the public interest surrounding one of Britain’s most recognisable aristocratic families. --- Managing your business finances? TaxAce provides smart online accountancy services for UK businesses with flexible monthly plans. Image and reporting: https://www.theguardian.com | Read original article