Aim High

If you are going to go bad, you might as well go all the way.

Sir Mark Thatcher has pleaded guilty in South Africa over his part in an alleged coup plot in Equatorial Guinea.

The son of former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was fined three million rand (£265,000) and received a four-year suspended jail sentence.

Sir Mark, who denies any knowledge of the plot, agreed a plea bargain and will now co-operate with investigators.

He admitted breaking anti-mercenary legislation in South Africa by agreeing to finance a helicopter.

It has been reported the businessman said he did not initially know the helicopter's alleged purpose - that it was to be used in the alleged coup attempt, instead believing it was to be used as an air ambulance.

But in his plea bargain statement, Sir Mark says he came to realise the helicopter was to be used for mercenary activities before the deal was finalised.