Met cops interview Andrew sex accuser
»»Police contact ‘slave’ Giuffre »»Complaint may spark probe
I’ve asked my team to look... no one is above law
SCOTLAND Yard has reportedly spoken to Prince Andrew’s rape accuser Virginia Giuffre in a development that could lead to a criminal investigation being opened.
Officers are claimed to have contacted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein’s former teenage “sex slave” after she approached the Met to make a complaint.
The force initially said after reviewing her allegations they would not be opening a probe.
But following a complaint by Giuffre, 38, and her US lawyers over the decision, she has been contacted.
The move comes as Prince Andrew, 61, was seen riding at Windsor on Saturday morning and the Queen was driven to All Saints’ Chapel yesterday.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick had said the force would monitor developments in Giuffre’s New York civil suit against the Duke of York.
In August, days after the paperwork was filed, Dick said the Met would consider the allegations again.
She said: “As a result of what’s going on, I’ve asked my team to have another look at the material. No one is above the law.”
The Met has examined the allegations at least twice since 2015 but has never opened a probe, saying the matter is for the US authorities.
One of Giuffre’s lawyers has previously demanded UK police look into the allegations. Sigrid McCawley said: “Given the clear and compelling evidence implicating Prince Andrew, the Metropolitan Police should reopen its investigation and stand by their statement that no one is above the law.” It is unclear whether the Met has taken a formal statement from mum-of-three Giuffre, who lives in Australia. She has alleged she was forced to have sex with Andrew at the home of Ghislaine Maxwell in Belgravia, London, in 2001 when she was 17 years old.
She claims she was loaned out to the Prince on three occasions by Epstein.
Andrew and his legal team have vehemently denied her claims.
Giuffre is suing him for damages that US lawyers say could run to £14million.
The report of her speaking to police comes as claims emerged Prince William believes his uncle poses a threat to the royal family’s reputation.
Andrew’s siblings are alleged to have decided nine months ago there was “no way back” for the scandal-hit royal.
Charles, Anne and Edward held a meeting in January where they reportedly agreed father-of-two Andrew should never return to public life.
Epstein, 66, took his life in 2019 as he awaited trial for underage sex trafficking.