Brother of Virginia Giuffre calls on UK police watchdog to review Andrew claims

The brother and sister-in-law of Virginia Giuffre have called on the police watchdog to review the decision by the Metropolitan Police not to continue its investigations into her allegations against Prince Andrew.

In an interview for Channel 4 News, Sky and Amanda Roberts say that Ms Giuffre had been “gaslit” by the police and authorities in both the UK and US which was a “kick in the stomach” for her.

They have called for the Met Police to reopen their investigation into Ms Giuffre’s allegation that she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew when she was aged 17, an allegation he vehemently denies.

And they said that if the London force would not take action, they felt the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) should review the decision.

Speaking on Channel 4’s podcast The Fourcast, Mr Roberts said that his sister continually asked: “What is it going to take for people to finally believe me?”

He added: “By continuously being gaslit by the UK Government, the UK Metropolitan Police, the US government here, it was just a kick in the stomach.”

When asked by presenter Jackie Long, if she felt the issue should be referred to the police watchdog, Mr Roberts’ wife, Amanda, replied: “Absolutely.”

She said that in the US the issue had been elevated from the Department of Justice to the House of Representatives and added: “So every branch of government needs to take this seriously.”

The IOPC would not comment on the case but a spokesman explained that its role was to investigate referrals if a complaint was made to a police force that fulfilled appropriate criteria.

In a statement to Channel 4 News, the Metropolitan Police said: “Our thoughts are with Ms Giuffre’s family and friends following her death.

“In 2015 we were made aware of allegations around non-recent trafficking for sexual exploitation.

“This related to events outside the UK and an allegation of trafficking to central London in March 2001.

“Officers assessed the available evidence, interviewed the complainant, liaised with other law enforcement agencies who led investigations into these matters and obtained early investigative advice from the Crown Prosecution Service.

“Following the legal advice, it was clear that any investigation into human trafficking would be largely focused on activities and relationships outside the UK.

“Officers therefore concluded that the Met was not the appropriate authority to conduct inquiries in these circumstances and, in November 2016, a decision was made that this matter would not proceed to a full criminal investigation.

“That decision was reviewed in August 2019.

“In November 2019, the Met confirmed that it would remain unchanged.”

In the interview, Mrs Roberts also questions Prince Andrew’s motivation for reportedly asking his personal security officer to dig up dirt on Ms Giuffre.

She said: “Why would you need to go through those lengths if you’re not guilty?”

Mr Roberts also criticised the UK and US governments for their inaction calling it “one of the biggest international cover ups in the history of the world”.

Mrs Roberts appealed directly to the US President Donald Trump calling on him to take action against the “corruption” behind the withholding of information in the Epstein case.

She said: “You promised from the very beginning of your campaign and even your last presidency that you would be a president that was going to drain the swamp, that was gonna uncover corruption.

“This is one of the biggest cases of corruption.

“And we are asking you to do the right thing.

“Will you hold to your promise.”

Mrs Roberts added that Ms Giuffre was “incredibly hurt by the sweetheart plea deal that Jeffrey Epstein had been given by former US attorney Alex Acosta.

Mr Roberts added that he would not stop campaigning until “justice is served”.

He said: “It’s a sex trafficking ring that essentially went on for decades without any account to any of these men, really any investigation.

“And so we won’t stop until justice is served because I mean, one, she protected me when I was a kid and she’s protecting your daughters.

“I loved my sister and I, I hope she’s proud.”

He also said that his sister had experienced a renewed commitment for justice after she had her own daughter.

He said: “It’s very simple when she held her baby girl for the first time.

“And she knew this could never happen again to her daughter, to your daughters, to your sisters.

“And she knew this could never happen again.

“And I think we hold very true on that principle as well.

“I think a lot of these survivors, their daughters are reaching those ages where this happened to them.”

The interview will be available on the Channel 4 News YouTube channel and shown on Channel 4 News on Tuesday.