Surrey Police have launched formal investigations into two separate allegations of historical child sexual abuse contained within the Epstein files, making the force the third British police service to open a criminal inquiry since the US Department of Justice released millions of documents relating to the convicted sex offender.
The force confirmed that one allegation relates to locations in Surrey and Berkshire between the mid-1990s and 2000, while the second concerns west Surrey in the mid to late 1980s. In a statement, officers said alleged victims are currently being interviewed and that no arrests have been made.
“We take all reports of sexual offending seriously and will work to identify any reasonable lines of enquiry to verify information or establish corroborating evidence,” the force said. “There is no further information at this time.”
According to reports, a team of detectives has been deployed to search for corroborating evidence, though none has yet been found.
Among the material now under scrutiny is an unredacted FBI report from July 2020, in which a woman claimed to have been drugged and driven to so-called “ring parties” in Virginia Water during the mid-1990s. The same document contains allegations of sexual abuse against Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell. The woman further alleged she was restrained and subjected to electric shocks by Maxwell while the former prince and other men were present, and that she was struck by a dark blue car said to have been driven by Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, sustaining injuries to her ribs, hip and leg.
Surrey Police had previously stated that a review of their systems found no evidence of such allegations ever having been reported to them. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any wrongdoing in connection with his associations with Epstein. In February, he was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
Surrey is not alone among British forces now engaged in Epstein-related inquiries. Thames Valley Police are separately examining claims that Andrew passed confidential information to Epstein during his time as a government trade envoy, and are also investigating allegations that a woman was trafficked to the United Kingdom for a sexual encounter with him.
The Metropolitan Police, meanwhile, are investigating Lord Mandelson — Britain’s former ambassador to the United States — for alleged misconduct in public office. The former business secretary under Tony Blair is accused of having forwarded confidential information to Epstein. Lord Mandelson has denied all wrongdoing.
Surrey Police are also said to be examining claims, raised by former prime minister Gordon Brown, that airports and RAF bases were used for sex trafficking purposes. Flight records contained within the Epstein files indicate that his aircraft travelled to a number of UK locations, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, RAF Horsham and RAF Marham.
