No investigation into Prince Andrew - Met Police

The Metropolitan Police says it is not investigating allegations against the Duke of York detailing connections to the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

In unsealed US court files, Prince Andrew is accused of groping a woman at Epstein's house, which he has previously denied.

The Met said it would assess "new and relevant" information should it be brought to its attention.

The prince is one of several high-profile figures named in the files.

The newly released documents form part of a case against Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's girlfriend, who has been jailed for helping him abuse girls.

Many of the allegations in the documents are not new.

Included in the files is the detailed testimony of Johanna Sjoberg, who describes meeting Prince Andrew at financier Epstein's home in New York in 2001, along with Epstein's associate Maxwell, and Virginia Giuffre - who went on to make and settle a civil sex assault claim against the prince.

Ms Sjoberg's statement describes an encounter in which she claims Prince Andrew touched her breast. Buckingham Palace has previously said her allegations are "categorically untrue".

British anti-monarchist campaign group Republic confirmed it had reported the prince to the Met Police after the documents were released this week.

The force said it was aware of the release of the documents but no investigation had been launched.

"As with any matter, should new and relevant information be brought to our attention we will assess it," a spokesperson said.

Documents released in the US on Friday include a 2016 interview with Maxwell where she states she had "no recollection" as to whether she introduced Prince Andrew to Ms Giuffre.

"Actually I wouldn't recollect her at all but for her tissue stories about this situation," Maxwell said in a video-taped interview.

A US judge ordered hundreds of documents to be unsealed as part of Ms Giuffre's previously settled civil claim against Maxwell, which was filed in 2015.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said he would not comment on any police matters relating to the court files and Prince Andrew.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, the former head of public prosecutions, said where "credible" accusations were made they should be investigated.

"I've seen the headlines on this, not the detail, but, frankly, whoever it is, where there are credible allegations made, then of course they should be looked at," he told LBC.

Among the previously detailed claims against Prince Andrew is that he sexually abused Ms Giuffre in London, New York and on Epstein's private island in the Virgin Islands.

The Duke of York has already denied these allegations.

Other high-profile figures mentioned in the documents so far include former US Presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump.

The documents contain no alleged wrongdoing by Mr Trump, and there is no implication of illegality regarding Mr Clinton.

Epstein, the disgraced financier who had cultivated links in politics, business and royalty, died in jail in 2019 while facing charges of running a "vast network" of underage girls for sex.

Maxwell, the daughter of publishing tycoon Robert Maxwell, is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role as a recruiter for Epstein. Her lawyers are appealing against the sentence.

Prince Andrew announced he was stepping back from royal duties in 2019 in the wake of the Epstein scandal.