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Charles Flower Girl Faces 15 Years
Friday, November 9, 2001
(9:59 AM UK)

A schoolgirl who slapped the Prince of Wales in the face with a carnation faces up to 15 years in jail after being charged with endangering the life of a foreign dignitary.

Alin Lebedeva, 16, was caught on camera thrusting the flower at Prince Charles when he paid a visit to the Latvian capital of Riga. She has been kept in custody until Sunday.

She said at the time she was protesting about the war in Afghanistan -- but police said her action could lead to a long spell in prison.

Pushed?

A spokesman for the security police said: "She has been charged under Article 87 with endangering the health and life of a foreign dignitary. The investigation is ongoing into the circumstances of the incident."

He said officers would be investigating whether anyone had "pushed" Alina into carrying out the attack. It would then be decided whether to bring the case to court.

The Prince was unhurt in the incident, which happened as he was talking to well-wishers in the crowd after laying a wreath at the Freedom Monument in central Riga. Palace officials said at the time he had been unaffected by the assault.
(More: Sky.com News Source)
2001 © BSkyB.

“... endangering the health and life of a foreign dignitary ...”

Probably an allergy-thing...

I’ve been avoiding this story for the past 24 hours, but what the heck? A 16-year-old kid facing nearly her lifetime behind bars for felonious assault -- armed with a flower.

Dan