Pippa father-in-law’s rape claim fury
The £5,000-a-night Eden Rock Hotel on the Caribbean paradise isle of St Barts A SOURCE close to the family of Pippa Middleton’s father-in-law yesterday reportedly described accusations that he raped a teenager in the 1990s as “outrageous” and claimed he was being “set up”.
David Matthews, 74, is alleged to have carried out two attacks between 1998 and 1999 in France and the Caribbean island of St Barts.
He has been placed under investigation for the “rape of a minor,” according to French officials.
But Mr Matthews has categorically denied the accusations and yesterday it was reported that his family claimed he was being deliberately smeared by the accuser, who was being “assisted” by her mother.
A family source said yesterday they felt “sorry” for Mr Matthews over the “outrageous” story. The source said the multi-millionaire was being “completely set up” to cause embarrassment to the family.
Mr Matthews is the father of James, 41, who married Pippa – the younger sister of Prince William’s wife Kate – last year.
Her lavish wedding last May was one of the most widely reported social events of the year, attended by William and his brother Harry.
The fightback came amid fresh claims from the alleged victim who reportedly said the alleged attacks left her “shocked and disgusted” and stricken with “self-loathing”.
The woman, who claims the alleged incidents took place when she was 15, is said to have felt “worthless”. Yesterday there were claims the complainant once had connections to the luxury beachfront Eden Rock Hotel, owned by Mr Matthews. He was reportedly held for 48 hours but is now free to return to St Barts and the £5,000-a-night Eden Rock.
Authorities in Paris are understood to have six months to decide whether he will be brought to trial.
An investigation could take a year and “by then all the damage will be done, which is what the accusers want,” the source said.
A spokesman for Mr Matthews said: “David Matthews categorically denies the allegation and unequivocally contests the untrue and scandalous accusation.”
Mr Matthews and his wife Jane have two sons, James and Spencer. A third, Michael, died in an accident on Mount Everest.