According to her attorney, a lady who says she was trafficked to the UK to have sex with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor would not talk to British authorities.
The woman claims that in 2010, when she was in her twenties, paedophile Jeffrey Epstein sent her to Britain. She claims to have spent the night at Royal Lodge in Windsor with Andrew before receiving tea and a tour of Buckingham Palace.
She was the first woman to accuse a royal residence and the second to come forward with allegations regarding the former prince.
However, she has since stated, through her attorney Brad Edwards, that she will not speak to the police here because she does not trust them and fears more intrusion into her life.
It follows Thames Valley Police’s announcement last week that it had communicated with the woman’s attorney “to confirm that, should she wish to report this to police, it will be taken seriously and handled with care, sensitivity and respect for her privacy and her right for anonymity.”
In an update on its investigation into Andrew’s alleged misbehavior in public office, the force stated that it was examining a variety of potential activities that would fall under the purview of the offense, including sexual misconduct.
Andrew has consistently denied any misconduct.
The BBC was informed today by Mr. Edwards, who represents hundreds of Epstein victims, that he had “multiple” clients who have information regarding Andrew, but they “will not speak with authorities in the UK.”
The woman claims that in 2010, when she was in her twenties, paedophile Jeffrey Epstein sent her to Britain. She claims to have spent the night at Royal Lodge in Windsor with Andrew before receiving tea and a tour of Buckingham Palace.
“The authorities did not care to do anything when Epstein was alive, so their confidence is low,” he said, referring to a picture of Prince Andrew that was made public as part of the US Department of Justice’s Epstein files.
“The harassment by the British press has dissuaded them from ever cooperating with UK authorities or speaking with the British press,” Mr. Edwards continued, adding that some clients had initially been eager to speak with police but had been discouraged, partly because of concerns about their privacy.
In February, Thames Valley Police acknowledged that they were investigating the woman’s allegation that Epstein had brought her to the UK for sex with Andrew.
It is believed that they had direct communication with Mr. Edwards, but the attorney informed them that the woman did not want to talk to them.
On February 19, Andrew’s 66th birthday, he was taken into custody. As part of their investigation, police conducted extensive searches at two homes, including Royal Lodge.
Officers apparently became irritated with the impression that they were only looking into Andrew’s alleged exchange of private information with Epstein while he was a trade envoy, so they issued an update last week.
“In addition to the investigation into misconduct in public office, the assessment of reports that a woman was taken to an address in Windsor in 2010 for sexual purposes is ongoing,” the police said in a statement.We have spoken with the woman’s attorney to ensure that, should she decide to report this to the police, it will be handled carefully, sensitively, and with respect for her right to anonymity and privacy.
“We understand how challenging it can be to talk about such experiences, and any interaction with the police will follow her wishes, when and if she feels ready and capable of doing so.”
After Virginia Giuffre, Andrew’s most well-known accuser, the woman was the second to claim to have had intercourse with him. Last year, at the age of 41, Ms. Giuffre committed suicide.
“As part of the UK policing response, efforts have been made to contact victim-survivors who have already chosen to share their experiences publicly,” a spokesperson for the National Police Chiefs’ Council stated.In certain instances, this has involved working with legal counsel; however, we acknowledge that we have not yet been able to reach everyone, and our efforts are still ongoing. “We understand that coming forward can be incredibly difficult, and we want anyone affected to know they can do so in their own time, when they feel ready.” “Any victim-survivors who choose to contact UK policing will be treated with care, compassion, and respect, with their wellbeing, privacy, and right to anonymity at [the] center of our response.” Our door is still open.
