Police in Britain asking public for information on ex-Prince Andrew

by · UPI

May 22 (UPI) -- British police are asking the public for more information about the former Prince Andrew as they investigate alleged misdeeds during his time in public office.

The Thames Valley Police want witnesses to bring information about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on alleged sexual misconduct, corruption, fraud or the sharing of confidential information while he was the British trade envoy.

Mountbatten-Windsor, 66, was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in office. Police allege that he passed information to the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which arose from the Epstein files, released in the United States by the Department of Justice. The TVP has only identified him as "a man in his 60s from Norfolk."

He denies all wrongdoing.

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Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said the department is working with a "significant amount" of information from several witnesses. But the TVP is worried that some witnesses might think the police don't want the type of information they may have, he said.

Misconduct in public office includes a range of crimes, including sexual misconduct, willful neglect of duty, perverting the course of justice, dishonest or fraudulent conduct and more. So, police believe that there may be more witnesses who have information and just didn't realize what the TVP is looking for.

"Misconduct in public office is a crime that can take different forms, making this a complex investigation," Wright said. "Our team of very experienced detectives are working meticulously through a significant amount of information that has come in from the public and other sources. We are committed to conducting a thorough investigation into all reasonable lines of inquiry, wherever they may lead."

"We encourage anyone with information to get in touch with us through the normal non-urgent contact channels, such as the Thames Valley Police online portal," he added.

The TVP will also work with London's Metropolitan Police for more information, The Guardian reported. The Met provided Mountbatten-Windsor's armed bodyguards while he was a working royal.

A BBC report in February reported that a woman in her 20s was sent by Epstein to have sex with Mountbatten-Windsor, and the TVP reported that it has been in touch with the woman's lawyer.

"We have engaged with the woman's legal representative to confirm that, should she wish to report this to police, it will be taken seriously and handled with care, sensitivity and respect for her privacy and her right for anonymity," police said.

Police are also hoping to get access to original Epstein documents from the U.S. government. They are now working with printouts from the Department of Justice public release website. The Justice Department has told British police forces that they must submit a formal international legal request for assistance, which is expected to take months, and the United States could deny the request.

On Thursday, files released suggest Mountbatten-Windsor was never vetted to become a trade envoy, including a memo from the current trade minister saying that no evidence exists of a background investigation before he took the role.

Police are also investigating former Ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson, who was named in the Epstein files, for misconduct in public office. The British government removed him from his position.

Earlier this week, police in Surrey, England, said they are investigating two separate allegations of "non-recent child sexual abuse" from a cache of Epstein files and are looking for witnesses.

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