ACCUSER HAD ‘FALSE MEMORIES’
PRINCE Andrew’s lawyers are suggesting his accuser Virginia Giuffre may be suffering from “false memories”.
They want to quiz her therapist Dr Judith Lightfoot about the theory as well as matters discussed during their sessions.
The move emerged in legal documents filed in New York late on Friday night.
But the tactic was criticised by Ms Giuffre’s legal team last night.
Us-based lawyer Spencer Kuvin said: “A false memories defence is a typical move in these historical sex abuse cases.
“It is the very same tactic that Ghislaine Maxwell used in her trial and it failed. I fully expect it to fail again in this case.”
The Prince’s legal move comes just over two years after his car crash Newsnight interview where he claimed to “have no recollection” of meeting Ms Giuffre.
That was despite the notorious photograph showing him with his arm around her waist taken in Maxwell’s London apartment in 2001.
Claims
Ms Giuffre claims they dined together, danced at Tramp nightclub and had sex three times. She says she was trafficked to have sex with him by US paedophile tycoon Jeffrey Epstein when she was 17.
During the 2019 Newsnight interview, he denied her accusations and said: “I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever.”
The Prince faces a US civil case for abuse brought by Ms Giuffre, 38, and scheduled to start after September.
It is understood he fears legal bills of up to £6million and a potential £10million payout to her.
Experts believe Andrew is likely to offer a settlement to stop the case – which would see him forced to give evidence about his sex life – getting to court.
But his accuser’s lawyer David Boies has suggested she is unlikely to accept a purely financial deal.
And Mr Kuvin, who represented nine of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims, added: “I would advise Prince Andrew to settle and fast.”
Andrew has consistently denied Ms Giuffre’s claims.
Yesterday it was announced his former pal Maxwell, 60, will be sentenced for sex trafficking on June 28 despite her defence team seeking a new trial.