By Sheila Mckenzie-
Prince Andrew has asked for a jury trial and denied the allegations against him as he officially responded to Virginia Giuffre’s sexual assault lawsuit.
Court documents filed in New York reveal that the Prince “demands a trial by jury on all causes of action asserted in the complaint”.
The latest legal filings was dismissed as a “PR move”, by a U.S attorney, saying Ms Giuffre had already asked for a jury trial.
Lisa Bloom, who represents a number of Maxwell’s and Epstein’s accusers, said Prince Andrew’s request was “meaningless” as it was Ms Giuffre’s constitutional right to have a jury trial if she asked for one.
In the court documents, filed on Wednesday, his legal team submitted a number of reasons why they believe the case should be dismissed.
The Duke of York stands accused of forcing Ms Guiffre of forcing her to have sex over two decades ago at the London home of Ghislaine Maxwell. Maxwell was convicted of sex trafficking, but has called for a retrial after it was revealed that one of the jurors had been sexually abused as a child.
The duke, 61, is being sued by Ms Giuffre, 38, formerly known as Virginia Roberts, in a US civil case.
. Ms Giuffre claims “sexual assault and battery” by the duke and being trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein to have sex with Andrew when she was 17.
The alleged offences allegedly occurred between 2000 and 2002 at Maxwell’s home, Epstein’s New York mansion and his private island. The prince strenuously denies the claims.
Andrew’s lawyers formally set out his response to various claims and said he denied Ms Giuffre’s sexual assault allegations.
These include that the case should be dismissed because Ms Giuffre is a resident of Australia; because too much time has passed; because of “her own wrongful conduct”; and because she gave up her rights after signing an agreement with Epstein.
Earlier this month, Prince Andrew failed to use that 2009 deal to get the case thrown out.
His lawyers had argued Ms Giuffre waived her right to sue when she signed a $500,000 settlement.
It included an agreement to “release, acquit, satisfy, and forever discharge” Epstein and “any other person or entity who could have been included as a potential defendant”.
However, the judge rejected the duke’s bid and ruled the case could proceed.
Undated handout photo issued by US Department of Justice of Ghislaine Maxwell with Jeffrey Epstein, which has been shown to the court during the sex trafficking trial of Maxwell in the Southern District of New York. The British socialite is accused of preying on vulnerable young girls and luring them to massage rooms to be molested by Epstein between 1994 and 2004. Issue date: Wednesday December 8, 2021.
Buckingham Palace responded by removing the duke’s military titles and patronages and said he would fight the case as a private individual.
The new court document concludes: “Prince Andrew hereby demands a trial by jury on all causes of action asserted in the Complaint.”
The duke’s filing was an “answer”, a document common in US cases in which defendants deny an accusation or say they lack enough information to comment.
‘Continues to blame the victim’
Ms Giuffre’s lawyer said they were looking forward to “confronting” the prince about his “denials”.
David Boies said: “Prince Andrew’s Answer continues his approach of denying any knowledge or information concerning the claims against him, and purporting to blame the victim of the abuse for somehow bringing it on herself.
“We look forward to confronting Prince Andrew with his denials and attempts to blame Ms Giuffre for her own abuse at his deposition and at trial.”
Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his cell in 2019, while Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted in December of recruiting underage girls to be abused by the financier.
She is seeking a retrial after one jury member revealed they had been sexually abused.