Scotland Yard is under pressure to launch a criminal investigation into Prince Andrew after he asked a police bodyguard to dig up dirt on Virginia Giuffre.
The Met’s former head of royalty protection Dai Davies urged the force to question the royal under caution if there was evidence that he abetted a police officer to commit a criminal offence of misconduct in public office.
The Mail on Sunday revealed how Andrew asked his taxpayer-funded police protection officer to investigate Jeffrey Epstein‘s abuse victim, passing on Ms Giuffre’s date of birth and confidential social security number.
Newly released documents reveal Andrew wanted Met officers to find damaging information in an apparent campaign to smear his teenage sex accuser just hours before a bombshell photograph was published in 2011 showing him with the 17-year-old.
The prince told Ed Perkins, Queen Elizabeth’s deputy press secretary, that he had asked one of the officers who are part of the Met’s elite SO14 Royalty Protection Group to dig up information.
Andrew wrote: ‘It would also seem she has a criminal record in the States. I have given her DoB [date of birth] and social security number for investigation with XXX, the on duty ppo [personal protection officer].’
It has not been suggested that the officer complied with the prince’s request, while Ms Giuffre’s family said she did not have a criminal record.
On Sunday, the force launched an urgent internal inquiry. A Met spokesman said: ‘We are actively looking into the claims made.’
Scotland Yard is under pressure to launch a criminal investigation into Prince Andrew (left) after he asked a police bodyguard to dig up dirt on Virginia Giuffre, whom he is pictured with
Newly released documents reveal Andrew (above) wanted Met officers to find damaging information in an apparent campaign to smear his teenage sex accuser
But it could take weeks for officers to trawl through emails and police logs from 14 years ago to see if Andrew’s principal protection officer or any of the back-up team made any inquiries about Ms Giuffre.
Mr Davies said the email may constitute a criminal offence even if the officer did not act.
He said: ‘It is time for Scotland Yard to launch a full criminal investigation into Prince Andrew.
‘Asking a police officer to investigate an alleged victim is outside of their duties, whether that is calling the FBI, your mates in the US, or searching out themselves to find out whether someone has a criminal offence. That is, in my view, a criminal offence.
‘Asking a public servant, that includes anyone from the Palace or police, to commit those inquiries is inciting them, aiding and abetting them to commit misconduct in public office. It should be investigated and he should be interviewed under caution.
‘This is a serious matter. Police protection officers are not there to investigate, they are there to protect. The question is was this request carried out by anyone and if so, was there any attempt to pervert the course of justice?
‘There are also questions for the chain of command – who knew that he had made this request and why was it not reported?’
Details of the shocking email come after Andrew was forced to relinquish his remaining titles.
Andrew (above) was dramatically forced to relinquish his remaining royal titles on Friday
The email cache currently with the US Congress also reveals that Andrew acknowledged he might have met Ms Giuffre and that a damning photograph could exist, despite claiming he had no memory of meeting her.
Senior Labour MP Ed Miliband told Sky News’ Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: ‘These are deeply concerning allegations. I think people want to look at those allegations and what the substance is behind them.
‘But if that is correct, that is absolutely not the way that close protection officers should be used.’
Barrister Charlotte Proudman, who has represented victims of domestic and sexual abuse, branded Andrew’s actions ‘utterly despicable and reprehensible’.
She said: ‘This shows Prince Andrew using his connections, including the police who are paid for by the taxpayer, in an attempt to dig up dirt on a survivor of sex trafficking. It is just despicable. This should be investigated.’
Broadcaster Emily Maitlis, who grilled Andrew in his infamous 2019 Newsnight interview, said she was ‘glad’ the police were probing the claims.
‘I think if there have been people responsible for trying to make her life even more unbearable than it was, then I would like to see justice done,’ she added.
Ms Giuffre’s posthumous memoirs, which are due out on Tuesday, have intensified the focus on her sexual assault allegations, which Andrew denies.
Ms Giuffre, who took her own life earlier this year, claimed that paedophile Epstein trafficked her to London and forced her to have sex with the prince – allegations Andrew has repeatedly and vehemently denied.