Prince Andrew asks for jury trial as he formally denies sex assault claims
by 0 Prince Andrew has asked for a jury trial and denied all the allegations against him as he officially responded to Virginia Giuffre’s sexual assault lawsuit.
Court documents filed in New York show he “hereby demands a trial by jury on all causes of action asserted in the complaint”.
Ms Giuffre accuses the Duke of York of forcing her to have sex more than two decades ago at a London home of convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell.
The duke, 61, is being sued by Ms Giuffre, 38, formerly known as Virginia Roberts, in a US civil case.
He has always strongly denied the allegations against him.
Ms Giuffre claims “sexual assault and battery” by the duke and that she was trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein to have sex with Andrew when she was 17.
The alleged offences are said to have taken place at three locations between 2000 and 2002: Maxwell’s home, Epstein’s New York mansion and his private island.
In the 11-page document filed on Wednesday, lawyers for Andrew set out his response to Ms Giuffre’s allegations.
It says he denies the allegation that he sexually abused her when she was under 18.
The document, submitted to the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, also sets out a series of defences “without assuming the burden of proof, and expressly denying any and all wrongdoing”.
It includes arguments that the claim should be dismissed because Ms Giuffre is a permanent resident of Australia and that by entering into the 2009 agreement with Jeffrey Epstein she “waived the claims now asserted in the complaint”.
The document concludes: “Prince Andrew hereby demands a trial by jury on all causes of action asserted in the Complaint.”
Earlier this month, when a judge dismissed the prince’s attempt to get he case thrown out, Buckingham Palace announced Andrew would have his military titles and patronages removed and would fight the case as a private individual.
