New Andrew setback: Virginia Roberts’ lawyers are so confident there is no get-out clause for Duke of York in her Epstein pay-off deal, they will happily hand over the paperwork
- Lawyers for Virginia Roberts won release of ‘key’ paperwork from prince’s team
- Miss Roberts’s side satisfied settlement with Epstein will not protect the duke
- Usually duke’s team would apply to the court but other side ‘happy’ to hand over
Lawyers for Prince Andrew’s accuser are so confident they can see off one of his main arguments that they have done some of the duke’s work for him.
Attorneys for Virginia Roberts, suing Andrew in New York for alleged rape and sexual assault, have won the release of paperwork which the prince’s team believe is key, heading off the potential for more delays.
And Miss Roberts’s side are so satisfied that her legal settlement with Jeffrey Epstein will not protect the duke that they will happily hand it over.
Prince Andrew driving on the A93 Public road near Braemar as he leaves Balmoral Castle Estate
Pictures show the papers being sent to Prince Andrew’s home address
Usually Andrew’s team would have to apply to the court to ask for a ruling but the pre-emptive move from the opposition negates the need for that.
Bringing the case under her married name, Giuffre, Miss Roberts claims she was forced to have sex with Andrew three times in 2001 when she was 17 and under the control of his friend, billionaire paedophile Epstein. Andrew has always vehemently denied her claims.
His lawyers said they believed the deal signed by Miss Roberts in 2009 to settle a civil claim against Epstein would release him ‘from any and all liability’.
Newly filed court documents show that her team has got permission from Epstein’s estate to pass on the agreement, which had until now been kept strictly under wraps.
Miss Roberts’s attorney David Boies wrote: ‘Jeffrey Epstein’s Estate has now consented to Ms Giuffre providing a copy of the confidential agreement at issue to Prince Andrew.’ Virginia Roberts photographed with Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell in early 2001
They have asked the judge to sign off on the handover in a signal that they think it will have little bearing on the case.
Miss Roberts’s attorney David Boies wrote: ‘Jeffrey Epstein’s Estate has now consented to Ms Giuffre providing a copy of the confidential agreement at issue to Prince Andrew.’
Mr Boies has warned that he thinks the document is ‘irrelevant’ to the case against the duke.
Last month the Daily Mail exclusively revealed that there was no ‘Prince Andrew clause’ in the agreement, currently under seal in a New York court, and that he is not mentioned by name.
If the settlement does not protect Andrew then it means the case brought by Miss Roberts, in which she is claiming damages alleging battery and infliction of emotional distress, will move forward more quickly.
After Andrew was accused of trying to delay the case by dodging service of the initial paperwork, having the Epstein deal means its release will not have to to be argued in court.
Both sides are due to file an order to lay out the next steps for the case by October 22 and the next hearing is due to take place on November 3.
Andrew beefed up his legal team this week by hiring Melissa Lerner, of Hollywood firm Lavley and Singer.
A Princeton-educated attorney, she has represented rock stars and speaks three languages.
Miss Roberts has four lawyers representing her from New York-based Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, let by Mr Boies.