Page 10 | Virginia Guiffre and Andrew settle out of court

Suzanne999 · 2022-02-15T16:15:35+00:00

From Metro Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre have reached a ‘settlement in principle’ in the civil sex claim filed in the US, court documents show Does this show his guilt? Water down in some way his actions? I’m sure some will say this proves she was only in it for the money. I think she and a lot of underage girls were abused but because of the wealth involved those guilty will never face justice. Can’t understand why I feel sad about this outcome.

StoneofDestiny · 15/02/2022 17:23

Breaking news!

Rich white man buys himself out of trouble.
Royal family bury their shame.
Royals will roll out more distracting cutesy images for the gullible public to swoon over ie Kate plonking on a piano, William and Kates kids do some kiddie things, Camilla talks to some old folks etc etc

TheOnlyMrsMac · 15/02/2022 17:24

It is being reported that the settlement money is going to a victims charity and not to Virginia. How can she be accused of cashing in, if so? I am sorry it has been settled because I would like to have seen him and other creeps like him pursued but it was not my decision to make.

ABitBesottedWithMyDog · 15/02/2022 17:24

Her lawyers were very big on the "She wants her day in court. This isn't about money" a few weeks ago. What changed?

Prince Andrew trashed his own reputation by slinkng around with a paedophile and doing that ludicrous BBC interview. No sympathy for the prat.

Blinkingbatshit · 15/02/2022 17:24

@knittingaddict - thing is there’s as much chance of it being real as there is of it being fake. Just because he’s a bloke that doesn’t make him guilty, just as much as her being female doesn’t mean she’s being truthful. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Innocenta · 15/02/2022 17:25

@tickingthebox73 I don't think you'd consider it "distasteful" if it was you or your daughter who'd been trafficked. Minimising it in those terms is shameful.

stairway · 15/02/2022 17:26

Prince Andrew doesn’t have a job so it looks like we will all be paying for this. We have a right to know how much this is going to cost us.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 15/02/2022 17:27

Disappointing that any truth will continue to be hidden

But that's what always happens with the royal family, unless it's somehing they actively want us to know ...

VanCleefArpels · 15/02/2022 17:27

[quote Innocenta]@VanCleefArpels Are you Princess Beatrice [/quote]
Ha! If you read my posts you will see I’m no apologist for Andrew. However there’s a lot of assumptions about “victimhood” in this and related cases that just has not been proven and it’s not unreasonable to present a slightly different aspect to consider. None of what I have contributed here should be read as support for PA and (quite literally in a way) the jury’s out on VG’s case

nauticant · 15/02/2022 17:27

Some of the reasons why Andrew settled:

He would have gone through a several days' long deposition and since he was tripped up so easily by Emily Maitlis in an interview lasting a hour or so, it's to be expected he'd have shot himself in both feet a number of times.
By the time the court case had concluded, his reputation would have been even more in the gutter than it currently is.
Had he lost the case the knock-on consequences would have been extremely unpredictable with no one having any idea where things might have ended up. That would have represented an awful risk.

TatianaBis · 15/02/2022 17:28

@tickingthebox73

Every time this comes up on Mumsnet I think people get confused about what this was and wasn't

This was NOT a criminal trial.
90%+ Civil trials in the US end in settlement.
PA was NOT going to be "held accountable" for anything, it would have been money only even if it went to trial and he lost.
VG was always just after money (and had previously accepted money rather than bring Epstein to justice, which is arguably worse!).

And that's before you get to the fact the photo was faked (almost certain as the original is "lost").

Then a variety of evidence pointing to the fact VG herself has trafficked minors. (Some of you perhaps need to read up on what actually happened - in the Ghislaine Maxwell trial there was evidence that there was a pyramid system of people bringing young girls to Epstein. VG herself wasn't part of the GM trial as the criminal evidence required doesn't stack up with her.

I've never liked PA, he's entitled, grasping and just the right amount of dim to continue to court Epstein after he was convicted of CSA (probably in debt to Epstein).

If it did happen it's distasteful, but none of it (believe it or not) is criminal. VG was over the age of consent and the people to convict are Epstein and GM. PA is "just" at best a complete bloody idiot and at worst a slimy middle aged douche.

PA's "career" / position is destroyed though is own idiocy and he will retire out of the limelight (and probably remarry Sarah!).

I think you’re confused as to the difference between objective facts and your own subjective slightly fucked up beliefs.

No evidence that the photo was faked.
No evidence that VG was simply after money

And as for exhorting others to read up on the case when:

You’ve read so little about sexual abuse networks that you’re apparently ignorant of the fact that it’s common for girls, once past the age of interest to the group, to be groomed and pressured to recruit younger girls.

VG and other women such Maria and Annie Farmer, who were the first women to report Epstein to the police, have all said that their lives were explicitly threatened by both Epstein and GM.

All this simply exposes your own ignorance.

Innocenta · 15/02/2022 17:29

@VanCleefArpels Well, just to let you know, you are absolutely coming across as a supporter of Andrew. I accept that that's not your intent, but that's certainly how the posts read to someone who doesn't follow threads on the royals, and thus doesn't have any background perspective. Obviously I'm not saying you shouldn't post what you want, but you may not be aware of how much it seems like apologism for him.

CleansUpButWouldPreferNotTo · 15/02/2022 17:30

[quote myrtleWilson]posted this on the long running Prince Andrew thread - commentary from lawyer on twitter

twitter.com/davidallengreen/status/1493625196670078976?s=20&t=DbeBlvI7wCi_N6pcueroAQ[/quote]
from that twitter thread:

David price @Davidpr52119342**
It's unlikely either side had definitive evidence (or else criminal trial would have happened)
In which case it became her word against his. So a coin toss and potential award would be unlimited.
Settlement is damage limitation.

cuno · 15/02/2022 17:30

As someone who has been in that awkward position of having the opportunity to settle or go to court, I can totally understand why she made the decision she has and I don't blame her.

UniversalAunt · 15/02/2022 17:31

‘ he is getting away with murder’

An interesting turn of phrase, but there has been no charge of this.
He has not been charged with a criminal offence of causing death.

MrsSugar · 15/02/2022 17:31

Rat bastard. It’s not the queen paying out. It’s us, the tax payer, as per fucking usual.
Time to get rid of this bunch of bloody parasites and become a republic

Unsure33 · 15/02/2022 17:33

@TheKeatingFive

I thought he was determined to fight his case?

I thought she said it was not about the mooney?

TatianaBis · 15/02/2022 17:33

[quote Innocenta]@VanCleefArpels Well, just to let you know, you are absolutely coming across as a supporter of Andrew. I accept that that's not your intent, but that's certainly how the posts read to someone who doesn't follow threads on the royals, and thus doesn't have any background perspective. Obviously I'm not saying you shouldn't post what you want, but you may not be aware of how much it seems like apologism for him. [/quote]
Yep.

“A slightly different aspect to consider” just = the misogynist take on the case.

x2boys · 15/02/2022 17:33

@TheOnlyMrsMac

It is being reported that the settlement money is going to a victims charity and not to Virginia. How can she be accused of cashing in, if so? I am sorry it has been settled because I would like to have seen him and other creeps like him pursued but it was not my decision to make.

They have just said on BBC news he's paid about £10,000000,this includes money to the charity , compensation money for VG ,and her legal fees paid .

VanGoghsDog · 15/02/2022 17:33

@BadgerStripes

Genuinely don't understand why he would make a 'settlement' if he is innocent? If it was me I would want to go to court to fight it. Can someone with knowledge of the law give your opinion, as it doesn't make any sense to me.

Obviously it costs a lot to go to court, even if innocent. And while there does have to be full evidential disclosure, you never quite know what the other side has up their sleeve or how you or other witnesses might perform on the day.

As this was a civil case, it only has to be found "on the balance of probabilities" not "beyond reasonable doubt", and only a judge, not a jury.

So, I suspect between costs and an uncertain outcome this was the best option for BOTH sides in fact.

Wheresmywoolyjumpers · 15/02/2022 17:33

Mummy doesn't actually have a terribly big cheque book. Almost everything she has belongs to the Crown (and as such the nation) and not to her personally.

She is one of the richest women in the world. And has taken steps over the years to hide how much she has.

NativityDreaming · 15/02/2022 17:33

“Guilty” is trending on Twitter and nearly every tweet is about Andrew.

Topseyt · 15/02/2022 17:34

It is unsurprising somehow, but still disappointing.

I had really hoped to see the scumbag hauled into court and reminded that he is not above the law, even as a member of the Royal Family.

He is a national disgrace and an embarrassment.

Theunamedcat · 15/02/2022 17:35

[quote Innocenta]@tickingthebox73 I don't think you'd consider it "distasteful" if it was you or your daughter who'd been trafficked. Minimising it in those terms is shameful. [/quote]
Her parents were involved too so

VanCleefArpels · 15/02/2022 17:35

[quote Innocenta]@VanCleefArpels Well, just to let you know, you are absolutely coming across as a supporter of Andrew. I accept that that's not your intent, but that's certainly how the posts read to someone who doesn't follow threads on the royals, and thus doesn't have any background perspective. Obviously I'm not saying you shouldn't post what you want, but you may not be aware of how much it seems like apologism for him. [/quote]
What I’m attempting to do is put an objective view as to the legal proceedings as opposed to coming from a “VG is a victim and PA is guilty” assumption. It’s not as clear cut as that hence in my view the settlement as I stated in my first post on this thread. Both were going to be eviscerated on the witness stand so it was ALWAYS going to be settled.

I have in this thread called PA a despicable waste of skin and an entitled shit. If that’s me being supportive I fear for my enemies!

Blossomtoes · 15/02/2022 17:35

@Wheresmywoolyjumpers

Mummy doesn't actually have a terribly big cheque book. Almost everything she has belongs to the Crown (and as such the nation) and not to her personally.

She is one of the richest women in the world. And has taken steps over the years to hide how much she has.

She isn’t. She isn’t even one of the richest women in the UK. She comes a long way down The Times Rich List.