UK prosecutors in contact with police in Epstein probe

UK prosecutors are in contact with police investigating allegations involving Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein. Photo / Getty Images

UK prosecutors have said they were in contact with police probing the Epstein files, as new emails revealed ex-prince Andrew appeared to have shared further trade documents with the US sex offender.

“We are in close contact with both the Met and Thames Valley Police, but we haven’t been asked for formal advice yet,” Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson told journalists.

Thames Valley Police, responsible for the southern area of Windsor where Andrew previously lived, said on Wednesday that it had “engaged in discussions” with specialist prosecutors as part of an “ongoing assessment” into the allegations against the brother of King Charles.

The force confirmed over the weekend that it had received a report of alleged criminal misconduct and was “assessing the information in line with our established procedures”.

London’s Metropolitan police has also opened an investigation into the former UK envoy to Washington, Peter Mandelson, who is alleged to have shared confidential government documents with late financier Jeffrey Epstein.

New revelations on Wednesday appeared to show that Andrew sent Epstein a confidential document on gold and uranium investments in Afghanistan when he was UK trade envoy, a role he held from 2001 to 2011.

“Attached is a confidential brief produced by the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Helmand Province for International Investment Opportunities,” says the email sent by “A” to Epstein’s email address.

“I am going to offer this elsewhere in my network (including Abu Dhabi), but would be very interested in your comments, views or ideas as to whom I could also usefully show this to attract some interest.”

Dated December 19, 2010, the document is entitled “Helmand: High Value Commercial Opportunities for Foreign Investment Brief for HRH Duke of York”.

Fall from grace

Former prime minister Gordon Brown revealed on Wednesday that he had urged police to fully investigate sexual abuse claims against Andrew by Epstein accusers and interview the disgraced royal.

“I have been told privately that the investigations related to the former Prince Andrew did not properly check vital evidence of flights,” he wrote in the New Statesman magazine.

“I have asked the police to look at this as part of the new inquiry,” he added, noting revelations “require them to interview Andrew”.

Charles stripped his younger brother of all his titles, including that of Duke of York, last year after one of Epstein’s victims alleged she had been trafficked to have sex with Andrew three times.

Anti-monarchy activist Graham Smith, who heads the pressure group Republic, said at the weekend that he had filed a report to Thames police after emails between Andrew and Epstein were found among a huge trove of files released by US authorities.

In one email from November 2010, Andrew appeared to share with Epstein reports from another official trade visit to Asia.

Andrew has previously denied any wrongdoing in their friendship.

Mandelson was fired by Prime Minister Keir Starmer as US ambassador in September once it emerged he had maintained ties to Epstein even after he was convicted of sex offences against a minor in the US in 2008.

Charles on Monday voiced “concern” over the actions of his brother, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and has said the palace is ready “to support” the police investigation if asked.

- Agence France-Presse