Brad Edwards Says Victims Won't Speak on Prince Andrew Royal Ascot Allegation
American lawyer Brad Edwards says multiple Jeffrey Epstein victims with information about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor will not speak to UK authorities, a fresh obstacle in the prince andrew royal ascot allegation matter. Edwards said the women do not trust British police enough to come forward and fear British press intrusion.
Edwards said his clients believe they would not receive proper treatment in the UK. He told the: "Our multiple clients, plural, with information about [Mountbatten-Windsor] will not speak with authorities in the UK for two reasons."
Brad Edwards and UK police
"First, the authorities did not care to do anything when Epstein was alive, so their confidence is low," Edwards said. "Second, and most important, the harassment by the British press has dissuaded them from ever cooperating with UK authorities or speaking with the British press." He represents hundreds of Jeffrey Epstein victims, and he also said his multiple clients with information about Mountbatten-Windsor will not speak with UK authorities.
The National Police Chiefs' Council said people who come forward will be treated with care, compassion and respect. Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently and strenuously denied any wrongdoing.
Thames Valley Police inquiry
The hesitation reaches into an active police inquiry. Last week, Thames Valley Police said it could investigate allegations of sexual misconduct against Mountbatten-Windsor as part of its ongoing inquiry into alleged misconduct in public office, which began after documents released in the US suggested that Mountbatten-Windsor had passed sensitive information to Epstein while working as a trade envoy for the British government.
Edwards said Thames Valley Police had been in contact with him, and he said his clients' reluctance grew after UK-based journalists began investigating the woman and her family in a separate allegation he represents.
That woman alleged an encounter at Royal Lodge in 2010 before Mountbatten-Windsor invited her to Buckingham Palace for tea. Thames Valley Police confirmed in February that it would assess that claim, and Edwards said more than one client had initially been willing to cooperate with British police on it.
Virginia Giuffre privacy fears
Edwards said those clients were dissuaded once the woman's privacy came under threat. The woman's lawyer said she would not communicate with police over fears regarding her privacy. Edwards said other victims took notice of that response and stepped back from speaking with UK authorities.
Sigrid McCawley, another US lawyer representing Epstein survivors, said that since the US Department of Justice released the Epstein files in January, she does not believe she has received any form of communication from the Metropolitan Police. For victims who may hold relevant testimony, the immediate issue is whether British police can persuade them to speak without repeating the privacy pressure they say drove others away.
