Princess Diana's Niece Lady Amelia Appears in Court
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| Princess Diana's Niece Lady Amelia Appears in Court |
* Alleged assault victim says he was knocked unconscious and needed brain scan
* Lady Amelia allegedly flicked cigarette butt into car in a rage
* Heiress was accompanied by one of her sisters during incident
Princess Diana's 18-year-old niece arrived at Cape Town Magistrates' Court today accused of flicking a cigarette at a man on crutches before kicking and hitting him.
Lady Amelia, who is the daughter of Diana’s brother Earl Spencer, arrived at the court with her mother Victoria Spencer to answer a charge of common assault following the December 2010 incident.
Lady Amelia allegedly carried out the attack with a male companion as they waited to buy burgers at a branch of McDonald’s in South Africa.
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| Princess Diana's Niece Lady Amelia Appears in Court |
It had previously been alleged that she launched into a foul-mouthed tirade and struck the vehicle during a fracas at 2.30am on December 29.
She was accompanied by one of her sisters – either her twin Lady Eliza or former Tatler cover girl Lady Kitty Spencer, 20 – and two men.
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| Princess Diana's Niece Lady Amelia Appears in Court |
According to reports, the teenager flew into a rage when Mr Cinti’s taxi cut in front of a Mini Cooper at a drive-through branch of the burger chain in Cape Town.
Mr Cinti, 27, who was on crutches following a football injury, claims Lady Amelia swore at him and smacked his taxi. He alleges that he was pulled out of the car and knocked to the ground.
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| Princess Diana's Niece Lady Amelia Appears in Court |
Lady Amelia and her male companion apparently sped off but police traced the car and arrested her for assault.
The pretty heiress was dressed in black leggings, a black top and a grey cardigan to the hearing, which had been adjourned following a court date last month.
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| Princess Diana's Niece Lady Amelia Appears in Court |
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| Princess Diana's Niece Lady Amelia Appears in Court |
He said that as a result he is applying to South Africa’s director of public prosecutions for the case to be thrown out of court.
Outside court, Mr Booth said Lady Amelia barely knows the companion accused of helping her in the assault. He was a ‘friend of a friend’ known only as John.
‘There may have been some rowdy behaviour on the part of a number of people,’ he admitted.
‘It seems the main proponent was this other guy referred to only as John. He had got a lift in the car my client was travelling in but my client certainly does not know him well.’
Police spokesman November Filander said: ‘The detectives didn’t get hold of the guy. They only know his name, not his address. They are busy looking for him. There were four people in the car: Amelia, one of her sisters and two men.’
Earl Spencer, 46, is believed to have stayed in Britain as his daughter appeared in court last month. He has claimed she was merely acting in self-defence after being bruised in the melee.
Lady Amelia, who will one day share in his £100million fortune, was brought up in the exclusive Constantia area of Cape Town by her mother, a former model, after an acrimonious split from Earl Spencer.
The case continues.
Read More: Dailymail