Met Police boss calls for unredacted Epstein recordsdata after Peter Mandelson claims
Sir Mark Rowley has told how UK police are examining a ‘whole range’ of sexual allegations linked to Jeffrey Epstein to determine if they merit criminal investigation
The Met Police chief has made a demand
The UK’s top police officer has revealed that the country is investigating a “wide spectrum of sexual allegations” connected to Jeffrey Epstein following his arrival in the US.
Sir Mark Rowley stated that officers are examining “a whole range of suggested sexual allegations” to ascertain if any “merit a criminal investigation”. The Metropolitan Police Commissioner confirmed he is urging American authorities for the unredacted material, cautioning it could be pivotal if cases against the disgraced former prince and the ex-cabinet minister go to trial.
This development comes just weeks after Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and Peter Mandelson were arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Both men have refuted any wrongdoing.
Now, UK detectives suspect crucial evidence remains sealed within millions of files held by US agencies probing Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Speaking on US television, Rowley said: “Of course, there’s a big body of that evidence … in the United States in all those files and at some stage we’re going to need the unredacted evidence. We need the original copy, and where it came from, and that’s going to be necessary if we get to the stage of court cases.”
Despite repeated assertions from US officials that there is nothing further to investigate stateside, the Met is liaising with the Department of Justice. However, British detectives hold a markedly different perspective, reports the Mirror.
Emails disclosed earlier this year appear to reveal both Mountbatten Windsor and Mandelson passed on confidential information to Epstein whilst holding senior positions. Investigators are currently examining the material to establish whether those communications ventured into criminal territory.
One correspondence referenced by Rowley indicates Mandelson discussed the scheduling of a financial rescue package with Epstein during the European sovereign debt crisis – a disclosure now facing rigorous examination. “It looks like it was shared with Epstein, so we’re looking at that as to whether that’s a criminal offence, and then colleagues in Thames Valley are looking at other documents that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor potentially shared,” he said.
Mandelson was detained after investigators scrutinised communications connected to his tenure as business secretary and trade envoy, with officers exploring whether classified government intelligence was inappropriately revealed. Mountbatten Windsor’s detention followed a comparable investigation concentrating on papers and contacts associated with Epstein.
Officers are also evaluating what Sir Mark characterised as “a whole range of suggested sexual allegations” to determine whether any warrant a fresh criminal investigation.
Nevertheless, the decision to re-examine elements of the case represents a substantial change of direction. He added: “Those investigations all go wherever the evidence takes them, quite comfortable with investigating sort of famous or powerful people. I think it’s really important for policing to do that, that sense of operating without fear or favour. The law applies equally to everyone, and those cases will go, say, wherever the evidence leads us to.”
The Met’s fresh approach comes during a focused campaign on sexual and domestic abuse, with officers employing more assertive strategies to pursue dangerous criminals. “We’ve developed tactics to be much more proactive and target the most dangerous men who pose a threat to women and children, just like we do terrorists and organised crime. So, a combination of factors has seen the rates steadily coming down,” Sir Mark said.
“We’re making big progress and most of all, at the centre of all this that matters to me and matters to policing, is trust in the police’s building in London.” Epstein passed away in a Manhattan jail in 2019 whilst awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. Maxwell was subsequently found guilty of sex trafficking offences and is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence.
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