Prince Andrew Accuser Seeks Testimony From British Nightclub Witness
By AFP
Lawyers for Prince Andrew’s sexual assault accuser want to question a woman who they say saw him in a London nightclub with a “young girl,” US court documents show.
In turn, the prince’s legal team want to question 38-year-old Giuffre’s husband and her psychologist in Australia, according to the documents filed in New York on Friday evening.
Giuffre’s lawyer, Sigrid McCawley, submitted a formal “letter of request” that would compel testimony in Britain from Shukri Walker.
“(Walker) claims to have seen Prince Andrew at Tramp Nightclub in London with a young girl around the time that plaintiff contends Prince Andrew abused her in London after visiting Tramp Nightclub,” the lawyer wrote.
“Because Prince Andrew has denied ever meeting plaintiff or being at Tramp Nightclub during the relevant time period, Ms. Walker’s testimony is highly relevant,” she added.
Giuffre alleges that Andrew sexually assaulted her at the London home of Ghislaine Maxwell in March 2001 when she was 17 and a minor under US law.
The prince has denied being at Tramp Nightclub with Giuffre, and has said he has no recollection of ever meeting her.
Giuffre sued Andrew in a New York court last year for unspecified damages, alleging that she was trafficked to him by Maxwell — who was convicted of sex trafficking last month — and the late disgraced money manager, Jeffrey Epstein.
As well as the London allegations, Giuffre also says Andrew assaulted her at Epstein’s home in New York, and on Epstein’s private island in the US Virgin Islands.
Andrew has repeatedly and strenuously denied the allegations and he has not been criminally charged.
Giuffre’s lawyers also want to interview Robert Olney, the prince’s former assistant, who they say “has relevant information” about Andrew’s relationship with Epstein.
Andrew’s lawyers said in their own letter to the judge that they wished to question Robert Giuffre, who they say married the then Virginia Roberts in 2002.
The couple lives in Australia with their three children.
Attorney Melissa Lerner wrote that Giuffre’s husband would likely have information about her “alleged emotional and psychological harm and damages.”
She said they also want to quiz Giuffre’s psychologist Judith Lightfoot about what was discussed during their counseling sessions.
Andrew’s team are seeking Lightfoot’s notes from the sessions and medical records.
They argue that Giuffre “may suffer from false memories” and want to ask Lightfoot about the “theory of false memories,” the letter said.
