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Police 'ran poker games at palace'
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A former royal protection officer accused of a £3 million betting and property scam has claimed colleagues played poker and traded porn while working at Buckingham Palace.
Paul Page, who is alleged to have cheated colleagues and others out of their life savings, described his job as an "easy life".
The 38-year-old, from Grays, Essex, denies fraudulent trading, intimidation and threatening to take revenge on a victim who spoke to police between January 1 2003 and March 30 2007.
His wife Laura, 42, was acquitted on Friday of charges she originally faced in connection with the case.
Opening his defence at Southwark Crown Court, father-of-five Page, of Granville Road, Chafford Hundred, said officers in the royal protection command could earn £50,000-60,000 a year with overtime "for doing very little".
Shifts involved two hours on post, followed by at least an hour off post.
"You didn't work for a living," he said. "That is the bottom line. "You have got time to study... There was one officer and he did sell porn. He used to get it from Holland, bring it back and sell it to officers while on duty.
"Everyone knew about it but no one would say anything. Officers were running poker games for money in down time. If people want to do that that is fair enough but senior officers let it go."
Page said members of the royal household instilled a class culture and royal protection officers were treated as a "necessary evil" who were expected to turn a blind eye to crime at the palace.
Page told the court: "I shouldn't be saying what I am saying but it has to be done - I need you to understand the culture."
