Prince Andrew has challenged a High Court ruling that he can be served with papers in his US sex case.
In what is being seen as another delaying tactic by the duke, his legal team said it would look to overturn the decision on a legal technicality.
Court papers filed in New York last night show Andrew’s lawyers want to argue over the definition of a ‘judicial officer’, in a possible indication of how he plans to concede no ground in the civil case against him.
But attorneys for his long-term accuser Virginia Roberts yesterday claimed he is playing a ‘game of hide and seek behind palace walls’.
Challenge: Prince Andrew on the Balmoral Estate, where he is currently staying with the Queen, earlier this week. Court papers filed in New York last night show Andrew’s lawyers want to argue over the definition of a ‘judicial officer’
Virginia Roberts, who filed the court claim under her married name, Giuffre, pictured following a hearing in the Jeffrey Epstein case in New York on August 27, 2019
The prince is being sued by Miss Roberts, who claims Andrew had sex with her when she was 17. In the court claim filed under her married name, Giuffre, she alleges she was trafficked to the duke by billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and is claiming damages for rape, sexual assault and battery.
Andrew, who is currently at Balmoral with the Queen, has repeatedly denied the allegations. His high-powered legal team claim that Miss Roberts’ attorneys do not have the authority to approach the High Court, which this week said it would serve the case papers on the prince if the two sides failed to agree it themselves.
Andrew’s side have argued that David Boies, Miss Roberts’ Manhattan lawyer, is not a ‘judicial, consular or diplomatic officer’ of the US. The London court originally agreed with the duke before changing its decision following representations by his opponents, Boies
