The sister of Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has received a 10-month suspended sentence over the beating and kidnapping of a plumber in her luxury Paris apartment.
Hassa bint Salman is the 43-year-old daughter of King Salman and is accused of telling her bodyguard to beat up a plumber who allegedly took photos inside her home.
The plumber, Ashraf Eid, said the guard bound him and forced him to kiss the princess’s feet.
On Thursday, a French court found the princess guilty of complicity to violence with a weapon and complicity to kidnap.
The princess – who was the subject of an international arrest warrant and was tried in absentia – was also ordered to pay a £8,900 fine. She has previously denied the charges against her.
Her bodyguard, Rani Saidi, received an eight-month suspended sentence and a £4,460 fine.
After the trial Princess Hassa’s French lawyer, Emmanuel Moyne, said the plumber’s allegations were “fanciful”, and said they would launch an appeal.
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In September 2016, Mr Eid was called to the fifth floor of the luxury apartment block on Avenue Foch in the French capital to fix a damaged wash basin.
The Egyptian workman said he took photos of the bathroom which he needed for his work.
But the princess was allegedly enraged to see her reflection captured in the mirror. The indictment said she called Mr Saidi who then beat and bound Mr Eid.
The plumber said he was forced to kiss her feet and was not allowed to leave for several hours.
At one point the princess allegedly yelled: “Kill him, the dog, he doesn’t deserve to live.”
The bodyguard, Mr Saidi, told the court in July he heard the princess cry for help and rushed in to see her and Mr Eid gripping the phone.
“I seized (him) and overpowered him, I didn’t know what he was after,” he said, and suggested the plumber wanted to sell the images. Taking photos of the princess is illegal under Saudi law.
