Prince Andrew sex abuse case: evidence sought from former royal equerry

UK High Court has been asked to help obtain testimony from duke's former attendant Robert Olney

Prince Andrew denies all the allegations made against him. AP

A former assistant to Prince Andrew is being sought to give evidence as part of the sex abuse civil case against his royal former employer.

The UK High Court was asked to help obtain evidence from Robert Olney about the Duke of York's relationship with convicted sex offenders Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

Virginia Giuffre, who was born in the US and now lives in Australia, is seeking Mr Olney’s evidence after his name was found in one of Epstein’s 'black books'.

She argues that Mr Olney is likely to have “relevant information” about the prince’s travel to and from Epstein’s various properties and his relationship with the sex offender, who killed himself in prison, and Maxwell, who was convicted last month of sex-trafficking for her role in procuring girls for Epstein.

Lewis A Kaplan, the US judge overseeing the civil case, has written letters to the Senior Master of the Queen's Bench Division and the Australian Attorney General to request their assistance in acquiring evidence for the claim filed by Ms Giuffre.

Virginia Giuffre has accused Britain's Prince Andrew of sexual assault. AP

In a separate letter to the High Court, Judge Kaplan requested evidence from a woman who claims to have seen the prince in Tramp nightclub, London, in March 2001.

Court documents assert that Shukri Walker's evidence should include questions about the presence of the duke and Ms Giuffre at the club and any interaction the pair had.

Ms Giuffre is suing the duke for damages in the US, alleging she was trafficked by disgraced financier Epstein, Andrew's friend, to have sex with the royal when she was 17, a minor under US law, at Maxwell's London home in the early 2000s.

The duke is also alleged to have sexually abused Ms Giuffre during a visit to Epstein's private island, Little Saint James, and on a separate occasion at the financier's New York mansion.

Prince Andrew has denied all allegations.

Australian evidence

In letters to the Australian Attorney General, Judge Kaplan requested help with obtaining evidence from Ms Giuffre's husband Robert and her psychologist Dr Judith Lightfoot.

The judge asked for Mr Giuffre's evidence to include how he met his wife, his discussions with her about Prince Andrew, her alleged childhood trauma and abuse and her relationship with Epstein and Maxwell.

The letter requests Mr Giuffre's evidence also include all claims Ms Giuffre has made against the duke, her alleged emotional and psychological harm, her role in trafficking and recruiting young girls for Epstein and the Giuffre household's finances.

In a separate letter to Dr Lightfoot, Judge Kaplan has asked her evidence to include Ms Giuffre's diagnosis and medical treatment, matters discussed during their sessions and claims made about Prince Andrew.

Testimony is also sought from Dr Lightfoot about her opinions of the alleged psychological harm suffered by Ms Giuffre, theory of false memories and the consequences of her childhood trauma.

The duke previously took the decision to face his accuser in court and become the first member of the modern British royal family to submit to being cross-examined over serious allegations.