Prince Andrew's Lawyers Ask For Sexual Abuse Case To Be Dropped
Prince Andrew’s lawyers have asked a New York judge to throw out a sexual abuse case, claiming sensationalism has ‘prevailed over the truth’.
Prince Andrew’s legal team maintain that he 'never sexually abused or assaulted' accuser Virginia Giuffre. In papers filed in Manhattan federal court, Prince Andrew's attorney Andrew Brettler wrote: 'Without diminishing the harm suffered as a result of [Jeffrey] Epstein’s alleged misconduct, Prince Andrew never sexually abused or assaulted Giuffre. He unequivocally denies Giuffre’s false allegations against him.'
In a further twist, Prince Andrew has claimed that Giuffre herself was involved in the 'wilful recruitment and trafficking of young girls for sexual abuse'.
His lawyers have accused Giuffre of seeking a 'payday' at Andrew’s expense, and described her as working to procure underage 'slutty girls' for Epstein.
Scotland Yard previously announced it was abandoning its review of sex abuse allegations surrounding Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein, following a review prompted by Virginia Giuffre’s claims.
A Met spokesman said: 'As a matter of procedure, MPS officers reviewed a document released in August 2021 as part of a US civil action. This review has concluded and we are taking no further action.'
The force has decided to take no further action over Virginia Roberts' accusations that she was trafficked to London aged 17 and forced to have sex with the royal.
The police are also no longer investigating claims that financier Epstein groomed other women in the UK.
Prince Andrew, however, is facing a civil lawsuit in the US after Miss Roberts accused him of 'rape in the first degree', and said she was abused by him in London.
The lawsuit mentions being forced to have sex with Andrew at socialite Ghislaine Maxwell's townhouse in Mayfair, and at Epstein's mansion in New York and on Little St James, his private island in the Caribbean.
Maxwell herself is due to face a criminal trial next month, accused of procuring and trafficking underage girls for Epstein - which she denies.
The Duke of York Andrew also denies the claims made against him, and his legal team is seeking to get the US case thrown out.
Andrew stepped back from public life after his Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis, in which he said he did not regret his friendship with convicted paedophile Epstein.
The royal family are taking an increasingly firm line on the furore, with Andrew's siblings - Prince Charles, Prince Edward and Princess Anne - said to have 'closed the door' on the prospect of his return to public life.
Prince William, meanwhile, apparently branded him a 'threat to the royal family'.
Another source told The Sunday Times: 'There is no way in the world he's ever coming back, the family will never let it happen.'
The Queen, however, is still funding Prince Andrew's legal fight, the cost of which is expected to run into millions.
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