Prince Andrew in new bid to get Virginia Roberts’s rape case against him thrown out as his lawyers argue that because she lives in Australia means a US court has no jurisdiction
- Andrew’s lawyers urged an American Court to rule it has no jurisdiction in case
- They say Virginia Roberts is pretending to be US citizen, while living in Australia
- The duke’s lawyers branded her legal actions as ‘suspicious’ and ‘calculated’
- Virginia Giuffre alleges she was forced to have sex with the duke when she was 17 and was his friend Jeffrey Epstein’s sex slave
- Queen’s second son, 61, has always denied her claims in the strongest of terms
Prince Andrew has accused the woman suing him for rape of pretending to be a US resident when she lives in Australia.
His lawyers Tuesday urged an American court to rule it has no jurisdiction to hear Virginia Roberts’ sex claims against him.
In the latest salvo of their legal battle, the duke’s lawyers branded her legal actions as ‘suspicious’ and ‘calculated’.
Prince Andrew has accused the woman suing him for rape of pretending to be a US resident when she lives in Australia. Prince Andrew was given a shock last week when a woman ran up to his Range Rover and shouted ‘Andrew, Andrew!’ through the window (pictured)
Andrew is pinning his hopes on a crunch hearing before a New York judge on January 4 when he will attempt to have the case against him thrown out.
The mother-of-three – suing Andrew under her married name of Virginia Giuffre – alleges she was forced to have sex with the duke when she was 17 and was his friend Jeffrey Epstein’s sex slave.
The Queen’s second son, 61, has always denied her claims in the strongest of terms.
Yesterday, the duke’s lawyers filed a five-page motion saying the court does not have jurisdiction over Mrs Giuffre’s claims because she says she is a citizen of the US state of Colorado when she actually lives in Perth, Australia, in a £1million home with her husband and children.
They said: ‘In reality, Ms Giuffre’s ties to Colorado are very limited. She has not lived there since at least 2019 – approximately two years before she filed this lawsuit.
‘Prior to filing this action, but well after she returned to Australia, Ms Giuffre registered to vote for the first time in Colorado using her mother’s home address – the timing of Ms Giuffre’s voter registration is suspicious and appears to be a calculated move.’
Andrew’s lawyers yesterday urged an American court to rule it has no jurisdiction to hear Virginia Roberts’ sex claims against him. Pictured: Andrew with Roberts (centre) at Ghislaine Maxwell’s (right) townhouse in London, Britain on March 13 2001
The mother-of-three (pictured speaking in 2019) – who is suing Andrew under her married name of Virginia Giuffre – alleges she was forced to have sex with the duke when she was 17 and was his friend Jeffrey Epstein’s sex slave
They added that ‘Prince Andrew respectfully requests’ the court order Mrs Giuffre to submit to a two-hour video link hearing to give evidence about where she lives.
The duke’s lawyers have previously argued her claim for unspecified damages lacks real detail, and she keeps ‘changing her story’.
Andrew’s side will also argue that because she was above the age of consent in New York at the time of the alleged offences, Mrs Giuffre, now 38, must instead prove she was forced to have sex with him against her will.
Mrs Giuffre alleges she was forced to have sex with Andrew in 2001 in London, New York and the Caribbean at the disgraced financier’s homes.
New York judge Lewis Kaplan will decide on January 4 whether to dismiss the case or allow it to proceed to trial.
A spokesman for Prince Andrew declined to comment further.
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