Police call for witnesses after human trafficking claims appear in Epstein files

British police have urged people with information to come forward about claims of human trafficking and sexual assault from the 1990s which appeared in the Epstein files.

Surrey Police said the allegations, set out in a redacted report released by the US Department of Justice in December, allegedly took place in Virginia Water between 1994 and 1996.

The force’s call for witnesses comes after an FBI report from July 2020, which appeared in the files, alleged sexual abuse against Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell in Surrey in the mid-1990s.

The claims, made as part of an anonymous tip, alleged a woman was restrained on a table and “tortured with electrical shocks” by Maxwell, while the former prince and other men watched on.

The force said they have found no evidence of the allegations being reported to them after reviewing their systems.

Multiple UK police forces are reviewing information contained within the millions of pages of files released over the past few weeks.

On Tuesday, Essex Police said it was assessing information about private flights to and from Stansted Airport following information released as part of the document dump by the US Department of Justice on January 30.

Former prime minister Gordon Brown claimed the files showed in “graphic detail” how paedophile financier Epstein was able to use the Essex-based airport to “fly in girls from Latvia, Lithuania and Russia”.

A spokesperson for Stansted Airport said the airport “does not manage or have any visibility of passenger arrangements on privately-operated aircraft”.

Norfolk Police confirmed the force is also reviewing documents brought to their attention, but said they had not yet received any allegations and were not currently conducting any investigations.

Bedfordshire Police are reportedly looking into Luton flights.

On Wednesday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves added her voice to those calling on Andrew to speak about what he knows about the Epstein scandal – saying, he “owes it to the victims”.

She told reporters: “The former prince has got a lot of questions to answer on a whole range of issues.

“I think he owes it to the victims of Epstein and his associates to come forward and give much more information about what he knew around the treatment of young women and girls.”

Earlier this month, Thames Valley Police confirmed it was assessing claims Andrew shared confidential reports from his role as the UK’s trade envoy with Epstein.

Andrew has previously denied any wrongdoing over his Epstein links but has not directly responded to the latest allegations.

The London and Wiltshire homes of Lord Peter Mandelson have also been searched by officers as part of the Metropolitan Police’s probe into alleged misconduct in public office.

Scotland Yard previously said inquiries were ongoing following allegations Lord Mandelson sent market-sensitive information to Epstein while he was business secretary during the financial crisis.