‘Calculating and sadistic ...she egged Epstein on’

Maxwell denied bail over fears she’d run

GHISLAINE Maxwell was “calculating and sadistic” and egged on paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, one alleged victim has claimed. The British socialite was denied bail yesterday after the woman, known in court as Jane Doe, claimed Maxwell would be likely to flee. Opposing Maxwell’s bid to be freed from jail ahead of trial on charges of trafficking underage girls, Doe added: “Her sole purpose is self-preservation. She will never admit what she’s done. “Without Ghislaine, Jeffrey could not have done what he did. She was in charge.

“She egged him on.”

She also claimed in a written statement that her two-yearold child’s life was previously threatened if she testified in a separate proceeding – though she did not accuse Maxwell of making this threat. But she told the court: “If she is out,I need to be protected.”

Another alleged victim, Annie Farmer, described Maxwell as a “sexual predator” who never showed any remorse.

She added: “She also has a demonstrated contempt for our legal system by committing perjury.” During the hearing at the Manhattan federal court, US District Judge Alison Nathan was told Maxwell had posed as a journalist to dupe an estate agent into selling her a $1million hideaway in New Hampshire.

She had appeared alongside a British man who said his name was Scott Marshall and that he had been in the British military, and claimed he was writing a book. Maxwell, 58, wore a brown top, tortoiseshell glasses and had her hair in a bun as she appeared in court via video link from Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, where she will now be held until her trial.

Epstein & Maxwell in 2005

Asked how she wished to plead to the charges against her, she said: “Not guilty, your honour.”

Maxwell is accused of grooming girls as young as 14 for Epstein to abuse between 1994 and 1997, a period when she was his girlfriend.

She had offered to stay in a luxury New York hotel while on bail while putting up £4 million in cash and a £3million UK property.

But Assistant US Attorney Alison Moe successfully argued that Maxwell should be held until her trial on July 12 next year. Ms Moe told the court: “The government strongly believes that this defendant presents an extreme risk of flight. There are serious red flags here.”

She said Maxwell has significant financial means, “few if any” community ties, and a “strong incentive to flee” to avoid accountability for her crimes. She added: “There are no conditions that can regularly ensure her return to court.

“There is a real concern here that the defendant can live beyond the reach of extradition indefinitely.” Defending Maxwell, Mark Cohen told the court that she was not Epstein, and “not the monster” portrayed in the claims.

Her lawyers denied Maxwell had tried to flee officers when they arrived at her house to arrest her on July 2. He said she had merely followed her bodyguard’s instruction to go to an internal room if there was a disturbance.

Mr Cohen denied Jane Doe’s description of receiving a call with a threat to her two-year-old bore any relation to his client and noted there was no allegation that it did.

On Monday, prosecutors claimed Maxwell went to great lengths to avoid detection – including wrapping a mobile phone in tin foil while hiding out in the New Hampshire mansion. They also contend she partook in some of the sexual abuse. She is also charged with perjury for allegedly lying under oath in 2016 saying she had no idea about Epstein’s alleged crimes. If found guilty, she faces up to 35 years in prison.

Epstein died in prison on 10 August 2019 as he awaited his trial on sex trafficking charges.

JANE DOE ALLEGED VICTIM OF EPSTEIN

Without Ghislaine, Jeffrey couldn’t have done what he did