Police to take ‘no further action’ on Duke allegations

SCOTLAND YARD last night announced it will take “no further action” over sexual assault allegations against the Duke of York after reviewing legal documents in a civil case brought by his accuser.

The force said that, “as a matter of procedure”, it had combed through “a document released in August 2021 as part of a US civil action” relating to Jeffrey Epstein, the financier and convicted paedophile.

Virginia Roberts Giuffre lodged a civil claim against the Duke of York in August and reports over the weekend suggested Metropolitan Police officers had since contacted her.

Ms Giuffre has made allegations that she was forced to sleep with the Duke on three separate occasions when she was aged 17.

The force previously investigated allegations that Ms Giuffre was a victim of sex trafficking after it was claimed she was brought to the UK by Epstein, who was a close friend of the Duke. But on each occasion Scotland Yard said the trafficking was a matter for US authorities. Yesterday, the force confirmed its stance had not changed following its latest review, saying in a statement: “This review has concluded and we are taking no further action.”

Officers are said to be continuing to liaise with “other law enforcement agencies who lead the investigation into matters related to Jeffrey Epstein”.

It was reported that the force contacted Ms Giuffre after she lodged a claim for punitive damages in a New York court, claiming that the Duke had raped and sexually assaulted her, including one occasion alleged to have taken place in March 2001 in London at the home of Ghislaine Maxwell.

The civil claim was lodged at the beginning of August, prompting Met Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick to announce it would look at the allegations afresh. She said three days after the suit was filed: “I’ve asked my team to have another look at the material … no one is above the law.”

The Duke has denied all the claims and his legal team plan to fight the civil case in a New York court, unless they can get it thrown out beforehand.

He was photographed with his arm around Ms Giuffre at Ms Maxwell’s London home. He has no memory of having ever met Ms Giuffre while sources have even suggested the photograph may be a fake. He is also accused of having sex with Ms Giuffre in New York and on Epstein’s private Caribbean island.

Epstein hanged himself in prison in August 2019. Ms Maxwell is in custody and is due to go on trial next month. She denies any wrongdoing.