Thomas Markle Jailed After Allegedly Cutting Off Ankle Monitor
Thomas Markle, Meghan’s estranged father, was ordered held in custody after prosecutors said he cut off an electronic ankle monitor while awaiting trial on child sexual abuse material charges. The judge had previously allowed him to remain out of custody under electronic monitoring.
Thomas Markle, Meghan Markle’s estranged father, was remanded into custody by a US judge after allegedly cutting off his electronic ankle monitor in Florida.
Markle had been released under electronic monitoring after authorities charged him with possessing child sexual abuse material. Prosecutor Bill Essayli said authorities arrested him shortly after he allegedly removed the device.
At a federal court hearing on Tuesday, local time, US Magistrate Judge Lindsay Griffin ordered Markle held in custody. Authorities have not said where he will be held while the case proceeds.
Monitor was a condition of release
Essayli said Markle cut off the ankle bracelet in the early hours of Tuesday at the senior care center where he was living. Griffin’s written order said his “housing situation” had become “untenable,” without elaborating.
“Release conditions are court orders, not suggestions,” Essayli said.
Markle was charged on Friday with possessing child sexual abuse material. Authorities allege the material included images of him with prepubescent girls.
Investigators seized about 78 items, including slides, film negatives and books containing suspected abuse images, from storage in the Los Angeles area, Essayli said. A judge initially allowed Markle to leave custody on the condition that he wear an electronic monitoring device.
Meghan has spoken about the allegations
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, recently said she was “deeply distressed” by allegations that a collection of child sexual abuse images had been found at her father’s former home.
She said a letter containing “troubling allegations” about him had been sent to police in London in 2019. “I was given assurances that these were being investigated,” she said.
Meghan also said her decision to keep her father from having contact with her children was “for one reason: to protect them.”
On Tuesday, she appeared at an event at the European Parliament in Brussels focused on online dangers to children. She and Prince Harry had been due to give a joint speech, but only Harry spoke at the opening of the Lost Screen Memorial, an installation honoring 50 children who died because of online abuse and exploitation.
Meghan did not respond to a shouted question about her father.
