Which police forces are investigating Jeffrey Epstein’s ties to the UK and why?
Nine forces are looking into Epstein’s links to UK, including those relating to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on Thursday morning after years of mounting controversy over his relationship with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Claims against the former prince have long been in the public domain. However, the recent release of the Epstein files has led to a number of UK police forces saying they are examining a variety of issues linked to Mountbatten-Windsor.
He has always denied claims of any wrongdoing.
Thames Valley police
On Thursday morning, the force issued a statement saying it had arrested a “man in his 60s from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office” and that it was “carrying out searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk”.
The force previously said it was reviewing allegations that a woman was trafficked to the UK by Epstein to have a sexual encounter with Andrew, and claims that he shared sensitive information with the disgraced financier while serving as the UK’s trade envoy.
Norfolk police
Norfolk police said they were reviewing documents brought to their attention and, after Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest, confirmed they were supporting a Thames Valley police investigation.
There are several mentions in the Epstein files of the Sandringham estate, which falls under the force’s jurisdiction. Mountbatten-Windsor hosted Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell there several times.
Surrey police
On Wednesday, Surrey police urged people with information to contact them about claims relating to parties described in the Epstein files that are alleged to have taken place in Virginia Water in the mid-1990s. Maxwell and another British citizen are alleged to have attended at least one.
Metropolitan police
On Tuesday, an unnamed former senior Met protection officer told LBC radio that members of Mountbatten-Windsor’s protection team may have “wilfully turned a blind eye” after they travelled with him to the Virgin Islands island of Little St James, which Epstein bought in 1998, at least twice, including once on Epstein’s private jet.
On Wednesday, the Met announced it was carrying out “initial enquiries into these specific allegations” but added it had “not identified any wrongdoing”.
Essex, West Midlands and Bedfordshire police
Several police forces have said they are looking at claims that Epstein used dozens of private flights to traffic women, after Gordon Brown raised the issue in relation to Epstein’s “Lolita Express” and its passage through UK airports. A BBC investigation claimed 87 flights linked to Epstein arrived at or departed from UK airports between the early 1990s and 2018.
On Tuesday, Essex police said they were assessing claims that Stansted airport was used for such flights, after Brown claimed that that documents showed how Epstein was able to use Stansted to “fly in girls from Latvia, Lithuania and Russia”.
West Midlands police said they would assess information about private flights that passed through Birmingham airport between the early 1990s and 2018, while Bedfordshire police are understood to be assessing Epstein’s use of Luton airport.
Police Scotland
On Wednesday night, Police Scotland appealed for information about Epstein’s use of Edinburgh airport.
Wiltshire police
The force said it was reviewing its records and “cannot definitively say that we have not had any allegations at this stage”. It said it had supported the Met with its investigation.