A German princess appeared in handcuffs at Cupar Sheriff Court on Monday charged with a string of offences including a claim she made racial comments about “killing Muslims”.
Princess Theodora Sayn-Wittgenstein, 27, of Schloss Wittgenstein, Bad Laaspag, Germany, appeared from custody before Sheriff Charles McNair following an alleged disturbance at a St Andrews University student charity event which aims to “promote cultural understanding”.
Sayn-Wittgenstein was arrested following an alleged altercation at the student-run Oktoberfest, held at Kinkell Farm outside St Andrews on Saturday night, which raised charity funds for Tayside Children with Cancer and Leukaemia.
Appearing in the dock handcuffed to a custody officer after a weekend in the cells at Glenrothes, Sayn-Wittgenstein, who is the daughter of Ludwig Ferdinand Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and Countess Yvonne Wachtmeister af Johannishus, pled not guilty to nine charges, including assault and acting in a racially aggravated manner.
Defence solicitor Douglas Williams noted that the Crown was not opposed to bail provided the accused could give a bail address in the UK where she could be contacted. He said it was her intention to return to Germany where she works for her father in the renewables sector.
The court heard she had been due to return to Germany on Sunday but had to re-arrange flights. She also has a hire car to return to Edinburgh. The bail address being offered was care of a family friend in Elm Park road, London.
Fiscal Dana Forbes confirmed there was no requirement for her to stay in the UK pending trial. The fiscal said it had been suggested a further bail condition should be that she does not enter Kinkell Farm but she could see no reason for this.
Sheriff McNair told the accused that she must inform the court if there is any change to her bail address.
An intermediate trial diet was set for June 26 with a trial scheduled for July 7, both at Dundee Sheriff Court.
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