ANDREW COMES OUT FIGHTING
After backlash over
PRINCE Andrew has launched a ‘fight for his life’ against the woman accusing him of rape, sources close to the duke said last night.
His lawyers have filed an explosive 36-page document in a New York court accusing Virginia Roberts of being a liar who is motivated by money.
The motion to dismiss her US civil suit – which women’s rights campaigners have described as ‘victim-shaming’ – also claims Miss Roberts was ‘part of a criminal enterprise’ who procured ‘slutty girls’ for paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Last night a source close to the royal said he had no choice but to ‘fight back with all his might’.
The Duke of York’s rebuttal was filed on Friday night in response to Miss Roberts’ lawsuit – submitted under her married name of Giuffre – in which the now 38-yearold accuses the royal of rape, battery and sexual assault.
She claims she was trafficked by Epstein to have sex with the duke three times – in New York, London and the US Virgin Islands – when she was 17.
But under the heading ‘Giuffre’s role in Epstein’s criminal enterprise’, the duke’s US lawyer Andrew Brettler claims it was Miss Roberts who procured young girls for the paedophile.
The document, describing Miss Roberts’ claims as ‘baseless’ and ‘frivolous’, quotes a newspaper interview with her ex-boyfriend Philip Guderyon who said he would drive her to Epstein’s Palm Beach mansion.
He said: ‘She was like the head bitch. She’d have like nine or ten girls she used to bring to him. She never looked like she was
‘An affront to natural justice’
being held captive.’ The response also mentions Crystal Figueroa, whose brother also dated Miss Roberts at the time, who claimed Miss Roberts had asked her for help in recruiting underage girls for Epstein.
Miss Figueroa recalled: ‘She (Miss Roberts) would say to me, “Do you know any girls who are kind of slutty?’”
A US newspaper report, describing Miss Roberts as a ‘money-hungry sex kitten’ and quoting former friends who say she enjoyed living the high life and bragging about the money, is also attached.
Last night, a source close to Prince Andrew, 61, said: ‘He has utter sympathy for all and any women who are victims of attacks. But he has himself been accused of the most heinous crime and he is adamant he is innocent. For too long he has kept quiet and his accuser has poured vitriol and foul unproven accusations towards him.
‘So guess what, he is fighting back with all his might to achieve justice in the courts and in the court of pubic opinion. He is saddened that the legal fight is so personal, but this was not something he started. He is fighting for his life.
‘His lawyer is merely pointing to documents which are part of the evidence which will be crucial to whether his accuser is seen as truthful and convincing or lacking. Andrew hates the personal nature of what has emerged and what has been said about him, but his lawyers want to use everything possible to show that he is not guilty as accused.’
Mr Brettler argues that a financial settlement Miss Roberts agreed with Epstein in 2009 also meant that she had no legal basis to sue the royal. The LAbased lawyer also claimed that Miss Roberts had repeatedly failed to keep her story straight or to give details about the alleged assaults.
The court filing stated that the duke ‘never sexually abused or assaulted’ and unequivocally denies her ‘false allegations’.
Yesterday women’s rights activist Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu tweeted: ‘Prince Andrew is despicable... Prince
Andrew is on trial not Virginia.’ Joan Smith, former co-chairman of London’s Violence Against Women group, said: ‘Accusing a known victim of sexual exploitation of being motivated by money is about as low as you can get. It is victim shaming.’
The prince’s friend added: ‘It’s an affront to natural justice that somebody can be accused of the most vile of crimes and yet when forced to defend himself runs into trial by mob and lobby. Let’s not forget that Mrs Giuffre launched this legal suit and The duke is perfectly entitled to mount a legitimate defence as part of the due process.
‘Allegations are easy to make and it is near impossible to fight once they’ve been made, but it is not victim blaming to point out inconsistencies and defects on plaintiff’s claims. We all seek the same end result: the truth.’
‘victim-shaming’, friends of duke say he has no choice but to defend himself