Thomas Markle, Meghan’s father, taken into custody over alleged ankle monitor removal

Thomas Markle, father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has been detained in Florida and ordered jailed without bond for allegedly removing his ankle monitor.

Thomas Markle, the father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has been detained in Florida for allegedly removing his ankle monitor, BBC reports, citing justice department officials in Los Angeles. Markle appeared before a federal magistrate judge in Tampa after allegedly removing the monitor at 01:45 local time (06:45 GMT), a Department of Justice spokesperson told the BBC. The judge ordered him jailed without bond, and he is in federal custody.

Markle was arrested last week after the FBI searched Los Angeles storage units registered to him, the justice department said. Agents seized about 78 items it alleges contained child sex abuse material. He is charged with one count of possessing indecent images of children. Markle has denied possessing such images and called the allegations “sick lies”. Judge Griffin cited a “lack of suitable housing”, writing that “no condition or combination of conditions would reasonably assure the safety of any other person or the community and the defendant’s appearance in court”.