Andrew could not remember Virginia, now he’s accusing HER of having false memory syndrome...
It’s the tactic Ghislaine used and it failed.. I fully expect it to fail again SPENCER KUVIN ON ‘FALSE MEMORIES’ DEFENCE IN COURT
PRINCE Andrew’s lawyers want to quiz Virginia Guiffre’s psychologist to see if his accuser is suffering from “false memories” of meeting HIM.
The extraordinary move emerged in legal documents filed late on Friday in the Duke of York’s looming civil court battle with Ms Giuffre – who is accusing him of sexually assaulting her when she was 17.
But he claims he doesn’t remember meeting her – despite the infamous photo of him with his arm around her.
It was quickly ridiculed by legal experts who described it as a “typical tactic” used in historic sexual abuse cases, and one Ghislaine Maxwell used at her trial.
But Andrew’s lawyers are determined to grill Ms Giuffre’s therapist Dr Judith Lightfoot on the “theory of false memories” as well as matters discussed during their sessions, notes taken and any prescriptions given.
The lawyers state that the royal “contends that [Ms Giuffre] may suffer from false memories, as evidenced by the fact that her claims regarding her time with Epstein, and the circumstances under which [Prince Andrew] allegedly assaulted her, have repeatedly changed over the years”.
The move bizarrely links to the Duke of York’s stance in his 2019 car crash Newsnight interview where he claimed to have “no recollection” of meeting Ms Giuffre.
His claim astonished interviewer Emily Maitlis, who pointed out the now famous 2001 photograph showing him with his arm around Ms Giuffre’s waist taken in his friend paedophile Jeffrey Epstein’s London apartment. The Duke’s lawyers also want to question 38-year-old Ms Giuffre’s husband Robert under oath about his wife’s “alleged childhood trauma and abuse”. She claims Andrew had sex with her three times when she was 17 in 2001.
Top Us-based lawyer Spencer Kuvin, not involved in the case, last night told the Sunday Mirror: “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.” During the Newsnight interview, at Buckingham Palace in November 2019, the Duke faced questions about his links with financier Epstein, who was found dead in his prison cell in New York that August. He was being held on sex trafficking charges.
When it came to questions about Ms Giuffre he said: “I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever.” He was asked for his response to claims by Ms Giuffre – then Virginia Roberts – that “she met you in 2001, she says she dined with you, danced with you at Tramp Nightclub in London. She went on to have sex with you in a house in Belgravia”. Ms Maitlis added: “You don’t remember meeting her?” Andrew replied: “No.” The Prince, 61, yesterday pictured out driving with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, vehemently
denies all allegations by Mrs Giuffre.
Andrew’s US lawyer Melissa Lerner lodged the “false memory” requests in New York 24 hours after the 95-yearold Queen had summoned her second son to Windsor Castle and dramatically stripped him of all his royal and military titles. It is understood Her Majesty and heirs Charles and William decided to cut Andrew adrift after becoming “infuriated” with the scandal in her Platinum Jubilee year.
He has been left to fight Ms Giuffre’s allegations of rape as a “private citizen” amid claims the Queen “will not assist” her son in paying a settlement, due to the perceived reputational damage to the Crown.
And it is understood he fears legal bills of up to €7million and that a potential €12million payout to his accuser could ruin him.
In the latest court documents, lawyer Ms Lerner wants to also question
Dr Lightfoot about Mrs Giuffre’s claim to have been under threat of death or bodily harm from Epstein and Maxwell, her “alleged severe emotional distress and psychological harm”, and links between such harm and the alleged conduct of the Prince.
There are also questions for Mrs Giuffre’s husband about her relationship with Epstein and Maxwell, her household finances and any communication
she has had with him about Andrew or the case. They even want to know how he met his wife in around 2002, and their household finances. Calls were yesterday growing for Andrew to be stripped of his Duke of York title after politicians in the Yorkshire city said they did not want to be “burdened with this link”. And royal courtiers were last night understood to be concerned about an
ITV documentary Ghislaine, Prince Andrew and the Paedophile, which will be screened at 9pm on Tuesday and is being hosted by Ranvir Singh, who has been critical of the monarchy.
Andrew’s legal team yesterday requested all of the witness testimony be obtained either in person or via video link by April 29, “or as soon thereafter as is possible”. The trial is scheduled to take place between September and December this year.
Experts believe Andrew is likely to attempt to agree a settlement with his accuser to stop the case getting to court. But Ms Giuffre’s lawyer David Boies has suggested she is unlikely to accept a “purely” financial deal.
Mr Kuvin, who represented nine of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims, last night added: “They’re perfectly within their rights to request these depositions.
“But let’s remember there’s an actual photograph of Virginia Giuffre with the prince. I would advise Prince Andrew to settle and fast.”
Meanwhile, US District Judge Alison Nathan yesterday announced Ghislaine Maxwell will be sentenced for sex trafficking on June 28.