Townsville Bulletin

Duke of York cops serve from High Court

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The Duke of York will formally be served with legal proceeding­s by the woman who claims he sexually assaulted her, English court officials have confirmed.

Lawyers for Virginia Giuffre have asked the High Court in London to notify Prince Andrew about the case that has begun in New York.

Ms Giuffre’s lawyers had over the past few days clashed with Andrew’s legal team, who claim that documents accepted by a policeman standing at the gates of the duke’s home in Windsor Great Park did not constitute proper service under English civil law.

But officials for the senior judiciary in England and Wales confirmed that a senior judge had accepted a request from Ms Giuffre’s legal team to make formal contact with Andrew about the civil proceeding­s in New York.

The first pre-trial hearing was held in a Manhattan courtroom on Monday, when the duke’s lawyer, Andrew Brettler, said the prince had not been officially served with proceeding­s.

Under The Hague Service Convention, a treaty that governs requests between countries for evidence in civil or commercial matters, Ms Giuffre’s legal team can ask the High Court in London formally to notify Andrew about her action. In a statement, the judicial office said: “The High Court has accepted the request for service under The Hague Service Convention. The High Court will now take steps to serve under the convention unless service is arranged between the parties.”

Once Andrew is formally served, his lawyers will have 30 days to file a response.

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Prince Andrew.

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