Judge Alistair McCreath warned: “An offence of this kind inevitably leads
to a significant and substantial prison sentence but I am prepared to
adjourn sentence for a report not to help the court with what the outcome
should be but as to how long the sentence should be.
“I give you no false hope, you will understand what the inevitable
sentence must be.”
The socialite was said to be shaken by the demands – the second alleged
blackmail plot against her.
Bernie is Britain’s fourth richest man, estimated to be worth £2.5 billion,
and Miss Ecclestone recently appeared in a three-part Channel 5 show
documenting her lifestyle.
No money ever changed hands.
Wearing a black shirt and black trousers the portly defendant listened
carefully as his case was adjourned at Southwark Crown Court, but had to be
told by the judge to stand when he spoke to him “as it is courtesy”.
He was released on stringent bail conditions including curfew at his Essex
home and not to contact the Ecclestone family.
At an earlier hearing prosecutor Prosecutor Philip Lemoine told Westminster
Magistrates court: “This was a crudely-executed, perhaps not frivolous
but rather amateurish, attempt to obtain money from Mr Ecclestone.
“Amateurish it might have been, but it was a targeted offence. The family
is vulnerable and Mr Ecclestone took it seriously.”
Mr Lemoine added: “The impact on Tamara Ecclestone as a human being has
been significant in her home and working life.”
Peckham, of Colchester, Essex, who has no previous convictions, will be
sentenced in September after the preparation of reports.
Often in blackmail cases a contempt of court order is made to protect the
identity of the victim from being made public but the Formula 1 Supremo has
not requested any such anonymity.
Miss Ecclestone, of Kensington, west London, recently gave an interview
claiming: “I just feel like you’re not allowed to have nice things in
Britain. Like you constantly have to apologise for who you are here. I don’t
think that’s right.”
It is the second alleged blackmail plot involving the 28-year-old heiress.
In February she is set to give evidence in the trial of Derek Rose, 32 and
Jakir Uddin, 19, who allegedly demanded £200,000 from her threatening to
reveal details of her sex life.
In the unrelated case the pair are said to have sent her agent Dana Malmstrom
a warning in November last year that they would go public with her love
secrets unless the cash was handed over.
The pair deny the allegations.
Ends