Windsor security chief is moved after party fiasco

The police officer who was in charge of security at Windsor Castle when a comedian dressed as Osama bin Laden gatecrashed Prince William's 21st birthday party has been removed from royal protection work.

Chief Inspector Mark Goddard is expected to be the first of several casualties resulting from the security fiasco. The Metropolitan Police said yesterday that Chief Insp Goddard was moving to undisclosed new duties by "mutual consent" and it did not prejudge a report into the security lapse. At least nine police officers face possible disciplinary action over the intrusion at Windsor Castle on 21 June by the self-styled Comedy Terrorist, Aaron Barschak.

The post of security chief at the castle has been taken by Chief Inspector Paul Seery, who was working in the Met's headquarters, where his work included dealing with security at public demonstrations.

An investigation into the incident is being led by Commander Frank Armstrong of the City of London Police.

Sir John Stevens, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, has said that no individual officer would be "picked on" over the lapse. "When you are looking at something which has been a failure in totality like this it would be wrong to pick on any individual," he said. Sir John has appointed a security chief to concentrate solely on royal residences.