Andrew could possibly be held ‘criminally accountable for intercourse trafficking after introducing abuse sufferer to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’, lawyer claims

A lawyer for one of Jeffrey Epstein‘s victims has called on British prosecutors to determine if Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor could be accused of alleged sex trafficking.

Perry Wander, a Beverly Hills lawyer who represents a woman who was introduced to paedophile Epstein by Andrew at Windsor Castle, told The Mail on Sunday he believes the former prince could be charged with the crime under British law.

Mr Wander, who has spent two decades representing victims of sexual abuse, claims his client alleges that when she told Andrew about being ‘treated inappropriately’ by Epstein he replied he ‘wasn’t surprised’ because someone else had made a similar accusation against the billionaire.

Mr Wander said: ‘In my professional legal opinion, based upon the facts presented, if a prosecutor in the United Kingdom were to apply the governing statutory framework under the Modern Slavery Act 2015, a reasonable basis would exist to conclude that criminal liability for sex trafficking could be established.’

Mr Wander’s client, who received a payout from the Epstein estate last year, claims Andrew – who she briefly dated after meeting him at an event – encouraged her to spend time with Epstein and travel on the billionaire’s private jet, nicknamed the ‘Lolita Express’.

The woman visited Epstein’s Palm Beach mansion and his private Caribbean island and was sexually assaulted by him on multiple occasions.

Under Section 2 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (Human Trafficking), a person commits an offense if they arrange or facilitate the travel of another person with a view to that person being exploited. 

A lawyer for one of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims has called on British prosecutors to determine if Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (pictured in 2022) could be accused of alleged sex trafficking

The statute states that ‘travel’ includes recruiting, transporting, transferring, harboring or receiving a person and applies regardless of whether the victim consents to the travel.

Mr Wander added: ‘My client was introduced to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell by then Prince Andrew and Andrew actively encouraged and facilitated my client’s travel aboard Epstein’s private aircraft. 

‘If a prosecutor applied these facts to Section 2 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, the encouragement and facilitation of travel – combined with knowledge or reasonable foresight of sexual exploitation – could satisfy the statutory elements of human trafficking for purposes of sexual exploitation.’

Andrew has repeatedly and strenuously denied claims by the late Virginia Giuffre that she was sex trafficked to Andrew by Epstein.

Mr Wander’s client is the first time a woman has alleged Andrew introduced a victim to Epstein.

The MoS understands the woman did not explicitly tell Andrew she had been raped by Epstein, but did confide in the prince that the financier had mistreated her.

Mr Wander said: ‘One memory that stayed with her was a conversation in early 2000 in which she confided in Andrew about her time with Epstein and disclosed that he had behaved inappropriately towards her. 

‘In response, Andrew admitted that he wasn’t surprised because he’d heard that someone else had made a similar allegation. She remembers thinking: “If he knew that, why would he encourage me to spend time with Epstein?”‘

The arrest of Andrew this week prompted reaction from Epstein’s victims and their lawyers.

Lawyer Jack Scarola, who represented 20 Epstein victims, told the MoS he believes Andrew will escape justice in the US.

Mr Scarola said: ‘There has unquestionably been a deliberate cover-up. I believe that it may have started through incompetence, but there is no question in my mind that the cover-up has continued as a consequence of the conscious effort to avoid holding US government officials responsible.

‘Epstein’s cohorts, his enablers, and his benefactors have not been held accountable to the extent that they need to be held accountable.’

Lawyer Gloria Allred told the MoS: ‘The arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is for a crime against the state and the state has acted quickly to make this arrest. However, there has still not been any action on the part of the police on allegations that Andrew has committed crimes against women.

A Beverly Hills lawyer represents a woman who says she was introduced to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein by Andrew at Windsor Castle

‘Apparently, allegations concerning state trade secrets and allegations of financial crimes are given priority and quick action while allegations of rape, child sexual abuse and sex trafficking take many years to investigate and do not result in arrests and accountability for victims who are women and girls.’

Suhas Subramanyan, 49, the leading Democrat on the Congressional committee investigating the scandal, offered to fly to the UK to depose Andrew.

He said: ‘We can go to the UK and meet him there. He can stipulate the terms of the conversation. We would just ask that he does so under oath, because he has lied before about his relationship with Epstein and some of the victims.’

Congress has repeatedly asked Andrew to go to the US to give testimony.

‘Andrew has an opportunity to clear his name, and clear his family’s name, and clear the record with us,’ said Subramanyan.

‘His team knows, but I think that they have been hiding from us because they have been hoping that this will go away. 

‘It has not gone away. It will never go away until he is forthcoming about his actions. Certainly if he did nothing wrong he should be forthcoming and help our investigation. Epstein’s victims deserve justice.’

Victim Teresa Helm, 46, told the MoS: ‘I became good friends with Virginia Giuffre, and though I never met Andrew, from what Virginia told me he absolutely knew what he was doing.

‘I hope there’s a very intense investigation.

‘Andrew may be able to mend his ways and apologise, but right now I don’t think he has one ounce of acceptance or accountability for what he has done.’

Mr Mountbatten-Windsor has always vehemently denied the charges against him and any wrongdoing. He was approached for comment.