TONE-DEAF ANDY SNUBS SEX CASE
LONDON: Prince Andrew’s lawyers will not attend a hearing in the sex assault claim filed against him in New York, amid growing criticism of his continued failure to engage in the case.
The pre-trial conference comes as the two sides argue over whether the disgraced prince was properly served with a court summons.
Lawyers for Virginia Giuffre, who alleges Andrew sexually assaulted her when she was just 17, a charge he denies, say the papers were handed to a police officer on duty at the gates of his home in Windsor after he flew to Scotland at the last moment.
However, Blackfords, his law firm, is attempting to cast doubt on whether the court papers were properly served, and has signalled an intent to challenge the US court’s jurisdiction. “We reiterate our client reserves all his rights, including to contest the jurisdiction of the US courts,” it stated.
Meanwhile, Andrew held a shooting party at the Queen’s Balmoral estate with guests including the crown prince of Bahrain, according to The Sun. A royal source told the paper that the party was “tone deaf”.
A copy of the summons and the complaint have also been emailed to Andrew’s official Royal Household email address, and have been sent to his Windsor home by FedEx and by mail.