Thread by @olivermiocic

Prince Harry’s latest judicial review hearing against the Home Office has begun.

Duke of Sussex’s legal team say he should be able to pay for police protection & that the head of Met Police can make a discretion for this.

#PrinceHarry #RoyalFamily #HarryandMeghan

Decisions about security for royalty and public figures is made by a committee called RAVEC.

Prince Harry’s legal team say the committee should have put forward the Duke’s offer of payment for security to the chief police officer and the he should have decided instead of RAVEC.

Justice Chamberlain is questioning Prince Harry’s barrister by raising case law relating to payment for police protection.

He says whether protection is on public or private land is an important factor.

“The conclusions we drew is that it is at best unclear”

#PrinceHarry

Justice Chamberlain highlights football clubs and music festivals paying for policing but says they are private events on private land,

He tells Prince Harry’s barrister: “what you are seeking is a completely different type of security service.” She disagrees.

#PrinceHarry

Prince Harry’s barrister, Shaheed Fatima KC, says it is is not acceptable that the Duke wasn’t able to lay out his case for police protection to RAVEC.

She says it goes against committee’s terms of reference.

Judge says Home Sec asked RAVEC to make decision.

#PrinceHarry

Home Office barrister, Robert Palmer KC, has started laying out his case.

Says RAVEC deals with specialist policing for royals using a “unique set of skills, tactics & training” and that this is different to policing provided for a football match/festival.

#PrinceHarry

Home Office barrister says Royalty and Specialist Protection officers (RaSP) “are expected to put themselves in harms way” for the person they are protecting.

Says it is up to RAVEC to decide whether an individual qualifies for that level of protection.

#PrinceHarry

Home Office barrister:

“This is a form of policing that, by its nature, is exceptional. There is no means rationally where a member or the public could ask for an armed police officer to follow them around”

Palmer Concedes Prince Harry is in a special category.

#PrinceHarry

Judge and barristers are being careful not to divulge any sensitive operational security details.

The media have been handed legal arguments scrubbed of specifics.

However Home Office barrister reveals the Prime Minister is someone who is given RAVEC security.

#PrinceHarry

This bid to bring a 2nd legal challenge is running seriously late. It started at 10:30 and was due to last an hour.

Two and a half hours later and Home Office submission has just ended.

Judge says it’s a complicated case. No decision today but case resumes at 14:00.