COPS DROP ANDREW AND EPSTEIN PROBE
Yard takes ‘no further action’ They contacted ‘slave’ Giuffre
Given the evidence, the Met should probe this
THE Metropolitan Police will reportedly be taking no further action into the alleged sex crimes of Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein.
The force said after conducting two reviews and looking at recent material into multiple claims young women had been groomed or abused on UK soil by the royal and the paedophile financier they would be dropping their probe.
The Duke of York, 61, is being sued in New York by Epstein’s former teenage “sex slave” Virginia Giuffre, now 38, who claims he sexually abused her on three occasions when she was 17, which Andrew has vehemently denied.
Scotland Yard, which reportedly contacted Ms Guiffre, said they will continue to liaise with other law enforcement agencies which are leading the investigation into Epstein. However, they have not specified which agencies.
The move will be a welcome one for Andrew, who was seen riding at Windsor, Berks, on Saturday, and the Queen, who was driven to All Saints Chapel for her first post-Covid service yesterday.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida
Dick had said the force would monitor any developments in Ms Giuffre’s civil suit against the Duke.
In August, after the paperwork was filed,
Ms Dick said the Met would consider the allegations again.
She said at the time: “I’ve asked my team to have another look at the material. No one is above the law.”
The Met has examined the allegations at least twice since 2015 but said it is a matter for the US authorities. One of Ms Giuffre’s lawyers had demanded UK police look again into the allegations. Sigrid McCawley said: “Given the clear and compelling evidence implicating Andrew, the Met should reopen its investigation and stand by their statement no one is above the law.” It was unclear whether the Met had taken a formal statement from mum-of-three Ms Giuffre, who now lives in Australia.
She has alleged she was forced to have sex with Andrew at the home of Ghislaine Maxwell in London in 2001.
Ms Giuffre is suing him for damages that lawyers say could run to £14million.
Epstein, 66, took his life in 2019 as he awaited trial for underage sex trafficking.
The report of Ms Giuffre speaking to police comes as claims emerged that Prince William believes his uncle poses a threat to the Royal Family’s reputation.
Andrew’s siblings are alleged to have decided nine months ago there is “no way back” for the scandal-hit royal.
Charles, Anne and Edward reportedly agreed that father-of-two Andrew should never return to public life.