Royal Watch News

Royal hoax DJs will not face charges

Dec 28, 2012, 12:01 GMT

Duchess Catherine

The DJs behind the royal hoax phone call are 'unlikely' to face charges.

Nurse Jacintha Saldanha took her own life shortly after she put through a call from Australian radio presenters Mel Greig and Michael Christian to the bedside of the Duchess of Cambridge, who was being treated at King Edward VII hospital for acute morning sickness.

The presenters had impersonated Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles in an attempt to find out information about the pregnant Duchess. After being put through by Jacintha, another nurse gave intimate details away.

Australian police say it is 'unlikely any charges will be laid' against the 2day FM presenters, and that no request for prosecution had been made by detectives in the UK, suggesting no further action would be taken.

The British police force's Scotland Yard had initially sent a file to the Crown Prosecution Service to decide whether to pursue charges against the presenters, but it is not thought to have gone any further.

An inquest heard Jacintha was found hanged in staff accommodation near the hospital and there were no suspicious circumstances over her death.

New South Wales (NSW) state Deputy Police Commissioner Nick Kaldas told Sky News: 'NSW Police Force are happy to assist Scotland Yard in whatever way they need, but we have not received any request for actual assistance at this stage.

'There was some initial contact after the death of Jacintha Saldanha but not a lot since and because of the passage of time we believe it is unlikely any charges will be laid.'

In the wake of the scandal, 2day FM has cancelled the DJs' show, suspended prank calls and pledged at least £320,000 to help Jacintha's grieving family.