Epstein ‘asked for special permission to see Lord Mandelson just weeks after being released from jail for abusing underage girls’, newly released documents claim

It has been revealed that pedophile Jeffrey Epstein sought special permission to meet a British education minister believed to be Peter Mandelson, just weeks after the US financier was released from prison for abusing underage girls.

When he was released from prison in July 2009 after serving 13 months on charges of procuring and encouraging a minor for prostitution, Epstein was placed under house arrest at his Palm Beach mansion.

The convicted sex offender had to apply to a district judge for permission to travel outside the state of Florida.

Circuit Judge Jeffrey Coldbath granted the financier’s request to fly to New York on December 3, 2009, to meet with his attorneys to discuss other legal claims filed against him.

However, according to new documents, the judge rejected Epstein’s request to fly to New York and meet with Mandelson on December 12, 2009. Mandelson is believed to have mistakenly identified himself as “undersecretary for education to the prime minister of Great Britain” during his request, new documents have revealed.

At the time, Peter Mandelson was Secretary of State for Enterprise, Innovation and Skills, with responsibility for Further Education and Higher Education. Further education students are usually aged between 16 and 18, while higher education students are generally aged 18 and over.

The documents, which are part of the US Department of Justice’s latest disclosures regarding the Epstein case, state that Epstein sought travel permission to attend ‘a meeting with a government official from a foreign country’.

The ‘Motion for Authorization to Travel’ heard in the Circuit Court of Palm Beach County states: ‘The Respondent, JEFFREY EPSTEIN, through the undersigned attorney, and urges this Honorable Court to issue a Decree authorizing the Respondent to travel to New York on December 3, 2009 and December 12, 2009.

The Prime Minister was forced to remove Lord Mandelson from his post as US ambassador last year following further revelations about Epstein.

‘The defendant wishes to travel to New York on December 3, 2009 and return to West Palm Beach on the same date.

‘The purpose of the meeting is for the Defendant to meet with his attorney, Stephen Susman, at the Law Firm of Davis Polk and Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017. The purpose of the meeting is for Mr. Epstein and his lawyer to review the documents.

‘The defendant is also required to travel to New York on December 12, 2009 to meet with a government official from a foreign country.

‘The defendant would once again go to New York on the morning of December 12, 2009 and return on the evening of December 12, 2009.

‘The defendant will re-confirm specific travel times with the probation officer prior to travel.’

Mandelson maintained close contact with Epstein despite his arrest and later conviction for child sex crimes in 2008.

In a support email he wrote: ‘Your friends stay with you and love you.’

Peter Mandelson in photo released by the US Department of Justice as part of the files on Jeffery Epstein

In a photo released as part of the Epstein files, Epstein is seen with a young woman who appears to be in her underwear.

And the day before Epstein was jailed, Mandelson wrote: ‘I think you are the world.’

Mandelson stayed at Epstein’s Manhattan mansion while he was in prison in 2009.

And in 2010 Mandelson allegedly shared sensitive market information with Epstein, including details of the €500 EU bank bailout, and informed him of Gordon Brown’s resignation as Prime Minister.

It comes after the Metropolitan Police launched a criminal investigation on Tuesday into allegations that Mandelson passed ‘market-sensitive information’ to Epstein.

Files released by the US Department of Justice showed Lord Mandelson apparently passed material to Epstein while he was dealing with the 2008 financial crisis and its aftermath while serving as business secretary in Gordon Brown’s Labor administration.

The Cabinet Office had passed the material to the police after an initial review of documents released as part of the so-called Epstein files found that they contained ‘possibly market-sensitive information’ and that official action measures had been ‘compromised’.

Meanwhile, former prime minister Gordon Brown wrote a letter to Metropolitan Police chief Sir Mark Rowley containing ‘information relevant to his investigation into Lord Mandelson’s disclosure of market-sensitive and confidential Government information’.

Sir Keir Starmer told the Cabinet earlier on Tuesday that he was ‘horrified’ by the revelations and that it was ‘disgraceful’ that sensitive internal discussions about the Credit Crash were ostensibly communicated.

A photo released as part of the Epstein files shows Lord Mandelson talking to a woman wearing a white bathrobe.

The Prime Minister warned ministers that although Lord Mandelson’s behavior was ‘surprising’, he was ‘not assured that the full information has yet been revealed’.

Sir Keir also said he would act ‘legislatively if necessary’ to remove Lord Mandelson from the Upper House. A draft law was being prepared that could take away the title of ‘without anything being off the table’.