Police must launch criminal probe into Prince Andrew’s ‘dirt digging’ bid on Virginia Giuffre, ex-head of Royal Protection demands: Disgraced ex-Duke ‘must be quizzed under caution over serious matter’
Scotland Yard is under pressure to launch a criminal investigation into Prince Andrew, who asked a police bodyguard to dig up dirt on Virginia Giuffre.
Dai Davies, the Met’s former head of copyright protection, has called on the crown to discreetly question a police officer if there is evidence he encouraged him to commit a criminal offense such as misconduct in public office.
The Mail on Sunday revealed Andrew asked his taxpayer-funded police protection officer to investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse victim and passed on Ms Giuffre’s date of birth and secret social security number.
Newly released documents reveal Andrew asked Met officers to find damaging information as part of a campaign to smear teenagers who accused him of sex, just hours before a bombshell photo showing him with the 17-year-old was published in 2011.
The prince told Queen Elizabeth’s deputy press secretary Ed Perkins that he had asked one of the officers, who is part of the Met’s elite SO14 Royal Protection Group, to gather information.
Andrew wrote: ‘Apparently he has a criminal record in America too. I gave him DoB [date of birth] Social security number and social security number for review with on-duty police officer XXX [personal protection officer].’
While it was not suggested that the police officer complied with the prince’s request, Ms. Giuffre’s family said he had no criminal record.
On Sunday the force launched an urgent internal investigation. A Met spokesman said: ‘We are actively investigating the allegations.’
Scotland Yard is under pressure to launch a criminal investigation into Prince Andrew (left) after he asked a police guard to dig up dirt on Virginia Giuffre, with whom he was photographed.
Newly released documents reveal Andrew (above) wanted Met officers to find damaging information in an apparent campaign to smear the teenager accusing him of sexting
But it could take weeks for officers to comb through emails and police records from 14 years ago to see whether Andrew’s chief protection officer or anyone in his support team had made any inquiries about Ms Giuffre.
Mr Davies said the email could have been criminal even if the officer had not taken action.
He said: ‘It is time for Scotland Yard to launch a full criminal investigation into Prince Andrew.
‘Asking a police officer to investigate an alleged victim is outside their duty, whether that means calling the FBI, your friends in the US, or conducting self-investigation to find out if someone has a criminal offence. In my opinion, this is a crime.
‘Asking a public official, including anyone from the Palace or the police, to carry out these investigations is to encourage, aid and abet them to abuse public office. This needs to be investigated and questioned carefully.
‘This is a serious matter. Police protection officers are not there to investigate, they are there to protect. The question is: was this request fulfilled by anyone, and if so, were there any attempts to subvert the course of justice?
‘There are also questions for the chain of command; ‘Who knew he had made this request and why wasn’t it reported?’
Details of the shocking email come after Andrew was forced to give up his remaining titles.
Andrew (above) was forced to give up his remaining royal titles in dramatic fashion on Friday
A cache of emails now with the US Congress reveals Andrew admitted he may have met Ms Giuffre and a damning photo may have existed, despite claiming he has no memory of meeting her.
Senior Labor MP Ed Miliband told Sky News on Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: ‘These are extremely worrying allegations. I think people want to look at these claims and what’s behind them. But if this is true, the use of close protection officers should definitely not be this way.’
Charlotte Proudman, a lawyer who represents victims of domestic and sexual abuse, described Andrew’s actions as ‘utterly despicable and reprehensible’.
He said: ‘This shows Prince Andrew using his connections, including taxpayer-paid police, to dig up dirt on a sex trafficking survivor. This is such a despicable thing. This must be investigated.’
Broadcaster Emily Maitlis, who criticized Andrew in his infamous Newsnight interview in 2019, said she was ‘delighted’ police were investigating the allegations.
“I think if there are people trying to make her life even more miserable than it already is, then I would like to see justice done,” he added.
Ms Giuffre’s memoirs, to be published posthumously tomorrow, have intensified interest in her sexual assault allegations, which Andrew denies.
Ms Giuffre, who committed suicide earlier this year, claimed pedophile Epstein smuggled her to London and forced her to have sex with the prince; These claims Andrew has repeatedly and vehemently denied.
