London
—
In the times after the extraordinary arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on suspicion of misconduct in public workplace, the former prince has confronted a slew of allegations about his time as a commerce envoy for Britain and his friendship with the late intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Mountbatten-Windsor faces questions on how he may have traveled to go to Epstein, and whether or not he may have used his police safety as safety whereas he hung out with him.
The former prince has not commented on the most recent allegations. He has beforehand denied any wrongdoing associated to Epstein and stated that he by no means witnessed or suspected any of the habits of which the intercourse offender was accused. NCS has requested Mountbatten-Windsor for contemporary remark.
Over the weekend, Gordon Brown, Britain’s prime minister from 2007 to 2010, demanded a police investigation into whether or not Mountbatten-Windsor used taxpayer-funded jets and Royal Air Force (RAF) bases to meet Epstein – in accordance to The Telegraph.
Brown, who has taken a number one function in demanding accountability for Britons with ties to Epstein, despatched letters to six police forces suggesting that civil servants be questioned about Mountbatten-Windsor’s decade as a commerce envoy, earlier than he was pressured to step down in 2011.
In the letters, reported by The Telegraph, Brown expressed his concern that the then-Duke of York may have used chartered RAF flights to shuttle him to private engagements that may have concerned Epstein, calling the journeys a “wholly unacceptable” use of public money.
The Telegraph studies that Brown would solely say that the letters contained “new and additional information.” Brown’s spokesman confirmed to NCS that the letters had been despatched to police however didn’t deal with any of the brand new info Brown claims was despatched.
“We sent the letters privately to the relevant police forces only and are not making them available publicly whilst the investigation is live,” stated the spokesman.
Emails launched by the US Department of Justice additionally appeared to present that taxpayer-funded officers from London’s Metropolitan Police had been instructed to present safety for a cocktail party at Epstein’s New York townhouse. Several emails focus on preparations for the former prince to stick with the disgraced intercourse offender in December 2010 – greater than a 12 months after Epstein was launched from jail having served 13 months of an 18-month sentence for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
In one change from November that 12 months, Andrew’s then-private secretary asks a person, whose identify was redacted, to affirm Epstein’s deal with and “whether there is room for both of his Protection Officers at =he (sic) house?”
What adopted appeared to be an inside dialogue amongst Epstein’s employees, with one unknown particular person confirming that “there will be room for both andrew’s bodyguards.. one on the 4th floor =nd (sic) one on the 5th floor.”
An e mail despatched to Epstein on December 1 by a redacted member of his employees reads: “The Duke’s 2 protection officers along with state security will all be here for tomorrow’s dinner party. Rich has given them instruction on the door.”
As a senior working member of the royal household on the time, the then-Prince Andrew would have obtained police safety as half of his safety. Still, the emails have stirred outrage in Britain over why authorities thought it will have been acceptable to deploy police assets to enable Mountbatten-Windsor to journey to the house of a convicted intercourse offender.
The emails had been among the many 3.5 million paperwork launched by the DOJ doc dump that have prompted questions over whether or not safety officers had been conscious of Andrew’s conduct.
On Friday, the Metropolitan Police stated it had not right now recognized any wrongdoing by any safety officers. It additionally stated it was “identifying and contacting former and serving officers” and asking them “to consider carefully whether anything they saw or heard during that period of service,” because it continues to assess info following the discharge of the Epstein information.
The drive additionally stated it was conscious that the DOJ disclosures recommended that London airports may have been used to facilitate human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
“We are assessing this information and are actively seeking further detail from law enforcement partners, including those in the United States,” the drive stated, including that “no new criminal allegations” had been made concerning sexual offences inside its jurisdiction, and it’s working with the UK nationwide coordination group which has come collectively to work the instances.
The Met stated it had nothing additional to add following its most up-to-date assertion when contacted by NCS on Monday.
The Met is one of at the least seven British police forces which might be making or aiding with inquiries following the disclosures throughout the Epstein information.
Essex Police beforehand stated it was looking into claims Epstein trafficked women on flights that traveled by means of London’s Stansted Airport. Similar inquiries are being carried out “in relation to private flights in and out of London Luton Airport,” in accordance to Bedfordshire Police. Meanwhile, West Midlands Police informed NCS it was “assessing” whether or not Birmingham Airport was used.