Did Scotland Yard Avoid Investigating Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell to Protect Prince Andrew?

A Channel 4 News investigation has found more than half a dozen claims that young women and girls are alleged to have been targeted, trafficked, groomed, or abused in the UK by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, over a period spanning more than a decade.

When asked if Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein were treated differently by the MPS because of their connection with Prince Andrew, Afzal warned: “The perception here is a different approach was taken in relation to these alleged offences, then there would be than if it was some brown guy in Rochdale, or some sex offender in London who didn’t have any standing at all.”

Channel 4 News was also able to identify potential witnesses by tracing name and telephone numbers from a publicly available contacts directory, known as the ‘Black Book’, which openly details associates and workers (including drivers, pilots, and masseuses) in the UK, in a similar pattern to those seen in other countries that have launched investigations, including the US and France. None of the people we called told us they had received any contact from the UK police.

Publicly available flight records from this period show Epstein and Maxwell were frequent visitors to the UK. Our analysis shows Epstein’s private planes – a Gulfstream jet and the luxury Boeing 727 dubbed “The Lolita Express” – flew in and out of UK airports at least 51 times, including into RAF Marham in Norfolk. The pair were also visitors at Royal residences including Balmoral, Windsor and Sandringham.