Police investigate child sex abuse claims by two people
Police are examining fresh claims linked to the Epstein files after two people came forward with allegations of non-recent child sexual abuse, The Times has learnt.
The alleged victims have been interviewed by Surrey police and are being supported by detectives.
It makes Surrey the third British police force to formally examine allegations of criminality since the US Department of Justice released millions of documents relating to Jeffrey Epstein, the paedophile financier.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Officers from Thames Valley police have examined allegations he passed confidential information to his friend Epstein while a government trade envoy. The same force is also investigating allegations that a woman was trafficked by Epstein to the UK for a sexual encounter with Andrew.
Lord Mandelson, the former ambassador to the US, is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police for alleged misconduct in public office, which carries a maximum life term, over alleged leaks to Epstein while he was senior in Tony Blair’s government. Mandelson has denied all wrongdoing.
Surrey police said: “Following the release of files relating to Jeffrey Epstein by the US Department of Justice, we are investigating two separate allegations of non-recent child sexual abuse. One report relates to locations in Surrey and Berkshire in the mid-1990s to 2000. The other relates to the mid to late 1980s in west Surrey.
“No arrests have been made. We take all reports of sexual offending seriously and will work to identify any reasonable lines of enquiry to verify information or establish corroborating evidence. There is no further information at this time.”
A team of detectives has been deployed to try and find corroborating evidence, which has not yet been possible, it is understood. Further inquiries are likely to take months.
Surrey police appealed for information earlier this year over a record in the Epstein files showing a report to the FBI alleging human trafficking and sexual assaults on a minor in Virginia Water in the mid 1990s.
Surrey asked for further information from the FBI and issued a public appeal when none was forthcoming. It has since received the two separate reports of alleged historical abuse.
Police forces across the country have been told to go back through records and check if there are any outstanding allegations relating to Epstein, including his movement of exploited girls through the UK.
Surrey is one of a series of police forces examining allegations that airports and RAF bases were used for sex trafficking, after concerns were raised by the former prime minister Gordon Brown. The Epstein files released in the US show that Epstein’s aircraft travelled to locations including Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, RAF Marham and RAF Horsham.
Andrew has denied all wrongdoing. He has been dogged for more than 15 years by allegations about his relationship with Epstein, who killed himself in his New York prison cell in 2019. Andrew was arrested at Sandringham on his 66th birthday in February.
The Met previously looked at allegations of sex trafficking by Epstein and interviewed Virginia Giuffre, who accused Andrew of assaulting her on three separate occasions when she was 17. It decided not to open a full investigation. Andrew has denied wrongdoing and said he did not remember meeting Giuffre, who died by suicide last year, but paid a £12 million settlement to her in 2022.
Thames Valley police is reviewing allegations that a second woman was trafficked to the UK by Epstein to have a sexual encounter with Andrew. He has not yet been questioned on that issue.
DOCUMENTED REFERENCES
Exploring Documented Records
Public interest in the Epstein case continues not only because of court proceedings and testimonies, but also due to the growing body of documented records that help researchers and readers understand the broader context. Beyond legal files and media reports, some independent projects have organized publicly available data connected to Epstein’s activities.
One example is a structured archive of documented Amazon order records, where purchases are cataloged with dates and product details. While individual items do not prove wrongdoing on their own, examining documented information alongside established facts helps paint a clearer picture of the environment and circumstances surrounding the case.
For readers looking to review primary-source style data rather than interpretations, exploring compiled records can provide additional context to the broader discussion.
