British authorities plan to challenge police over why they never fully investigated Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s claim that she was trafficked to London to have sex with Prince Andrew, according to a report.
The Jeffrey Epstein accuser has long maintained in court filings that she was forced to have sex with the British royal three times, including once in London when the now-notorious photo of her with the royal was taken at Ghislaine Maxwell’s house.
But London’s Metropolitan Police never pursued a full inquiry, even after Giuffre’s lawyers independently contacted the force in 2016, according to The Observer.
Now the UK’s government-elected Victims’ Commissioner is determined to pursue the force to get answers as to why the probe was dropped, according to the report.
The commissioner, Dame Vera Baird QC, told a victims’ rights lawyer that she would confront the force after the general election, before which UK political rules restrict her from speaking out or acting.
“Before the election was called, I spoke at length with the Victims’ Commissioner and we both find it extraordinary that this matter was not proceeded with,” civil rights lawyer Harry Fletcher told the paper.
Giuffre was 17 in 2001 when, she said, she was forced into sex with Andrew in London. Although that is of legal age in the UK, if she were flown to the UK to have sex, it would be deemed trafficking.
The Met police confirmed to The Observer that it had received an allegation of “non-recent” trafficking for sexual exploitation.
“Having closely examined the available evidence, the decision was made that this would not progress to a full investigation,” the Met told the paper.
The police force revisited the decision because of the huge public interest in the case — but decided it had made the right decision, it said.
“Therefore, no further action is being taken,” the Met told The Observer.
Giuffre’s claims — and the photo of her with Andrew — proved central in him being axed from royal duties following his disastrous attempts to explain the scandal during a BBC interview.
Andrew has strenuously denied the accusations and insists he has no recollection of ever meeting Giuffre.