Thomas Markle cut off his ankle monitor after child porn arrest, prosecutors say, as they demand for him to be held in jail

Prosecutors say Thomas Markle cut off his ankle monitor while awaiting trial on a charge of possessing child sexual abuse material. They are asking a judge to revoke his release and detain him, alleging he removed the device at about 1.45am on Tuesday; the US Marshals Service says it is working to establish what happened.

Markle, 82, was arrested in Florida and released on bond, with an order to live under house arrest at his care home. The facility reportedly refused to take him back, and he was released to the custody of another daughter in Florida. Investigators seized about 78 items, including slides, film negatives and books, from storage in the Los Angeles area; Markle has not entered a plea, and a mental competency examination was ordered ahead of a hearing scheduled for 20 November.