World enews: ‘No surprise’ Met Police dropped Andrew abuse claims probe, says ally of royal

The Metropolitan Police’s decision to drop a review of Virginia Giuffre’s allegations of sexual assault against the Duke of York “comes as no surprise”, a source close to the royal has claimed.

The police reportedly spoke to the then-17-year-old accuser Virginia Giuffre but decided not to take any further action on her claims.

They have examined Ms Giuffre’s allegations at least twice since 2015 but have never opened an investigation, saying that the matter is for US authorities.

“It comes as no surprise that the Met police have confirmed that, having reviewed the sex assault claims against the duke for a third time, they are taking no further action,” a source told PA Media.

“Despite pressure from the media and claims of new evidence, the Met have concluded that the claims are not sufficient to warrant any further investigation. The duke has always vigorously maintained his innocence and continues to do so.”

A US judge has since agreed for the Duke of York’s lawyers to receive a copy of a 2009 settlement they believe will nullify the civil sexual assault case against the royal.

Andrew B Brettler, who represents Andrew, had argued at a previous hearing that Ms Giuffre – who is suing the Queen’s son for alleged sexual assault – had entered into a “settlement agreement” that would end her current lawsuit.

Ms Giuffre’s lawyer, David Boies, was granted permission by Judge Loretta Preska to supply Andrew’s legal team with the previously sealed document, but the attorney believes it is “irrelevant to the case against Prince Andrew”.

During the first pre-trial hearing of the case last month, Andrew’s lawyer said: “There has been a settlement agreement that the plaintiff has entered into in a prior action that releases the duke and others from any and all potential liability.”

Mr Brettler was referring to the 2009 settlement between Ms Giuffre and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein of a Florida state case to which the duke was not a party.

Ms Giuffre is suing the Queen’s son for allegedly sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager. She is seeking unspecified damages, but there is speculation the sum could be in the millions of dollars.

She claims she was trafficked by Epstein, the duke’s former friend, to have sex with Andrew when she was aged 17 and a minor under US law.

The Duke of York has denied all allegations made against him.

In a court document filed on Wednesday, Judge Preska agreed to the request from Mr Boies to provide Andrew’s legal team with the document.

In a previous court filing, Mr Boies said to Judge Preska about the document: “Although we believe that the release is irrelevant to the case against Prince Andrew, now that service has been accepted and the case is proceeding to a determination on the merits, we believe that counsel for Prince Andrew have a right to review the release and to make whatever arguments they believe appropriate based on it.”