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Original poster

Virginia Guiffre and Andrew settle out of court

1000 replies

Suzanne999 · 15/02/2022 16:15

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.

OP posts:
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7
TheKeatingFive · 15/02/2022 16:40

I agree with all this. It makes him reek of guilt though IMO. Remember all that bravado initially about wanting his day in court?

Exactly. I think he was dumb enough to believe that he'd win out.

StationaryMagpie · 15/02/2022 16:40

i think he was a twat, and he should never have had anything to do with it.

that being said, i think this civil case was a joke, and a publicity stunt, and designed entirely to line her pockets and drag someone high profile through the mud.

How it was ever allowed to be filed through USA courts when she lives in Australia, and PA is british is beyond me.

Blossomtoes · 15/02/2022 16:41

@MaggieMooh

Very disappointing. Yet again the rich get away with disgusting criminal behaviour because they can afford to hire lawyers and pay off their accuser.
The accuser could always have chosen not to be paid off. It looks as if that crucial piece of evidence couldn’t be found.
TheSnowyOwl · 15/02/2022 16:41

@StoneofDestiny

From the BBC

Prince Andrew has settled a civil sexual assault case brought against him in the US by Virginia Giuffre, court documents show.
Ms Giuffre had been suing the Duke of York, claiming he sexually assaulted her on three occasions when she was 17, allegations he has repeatedly denied.
A document submitted to a US court on Tuesday said the duke and Ms Giuffre had reached an out-of-court settlement.
It said he would make a "substantial donation to Ms Giuffre's charity".
The document stated that Prince Andrew had "never intended to malign Ms Giuffre's character" and that he recognised she had "suffered both as an established victim of abuse and as a result of unfair public attacks".
It added that the duke pledged to "demonstrate his regret for his association" with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein by supporting the "fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims".

You don't pay compensation for something you are innocent of.

Which is probably why he is making a charitable donation instead because it’s not compensation.
tkwal · 15/02/2022 16:41

It's a civil case so no one was going to jail anyway. She was banking on the fact that civil cases rest on the balance of probability where criminal cases have to be found beyond reasonable doubt and that Andrew would settle before this to protect his reputation. Well his reputation is in tatters, he's no longer HRH and he has nothing to plan for the future. He was a hero during the Falklands conflict no doubt of that but since then he has shown himself to be arrogant, petulant and in possession of spectacularly poor judgement

AlternativePerspective · 15/02/2022 16:41

There's something wrong with an adult talking about a seventeen year old girl like that. except she’s not a 17 year old girl. She’s an adult.

Unfortunately these high profile situations always attract people who aren’t as genuine as the real. Victims. She’s a millionaire. She wasn’t going to send him down, it was always about money for her. And then the Hmm evidence suddenly disappeared and oh wait, she settles. Not exactly a coincidence that.

There’s no doubt that Andrew is a sleaze, but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t in it for less than altruistic reasons.

DearlyBeloathed · 15/02/2022 16:41

I thought she was determined not to settle? I'm surprised.

HeadNorth · 15/02/2022 16:42

He must have thrown money at this to make it go away. So indirectly, we are alll paying for his loathsome immorality. Grim as.

TravellingFrom · 15/02/2022 16:42

I think they didnt want this playing out in Public.

His reputation is already in tatters but it threatened overshadowing the Queens Jubilee and dragging her reputation in mud, I can very well understand wanting it over and done with, rather than it being splashed all over the papers for weeks on end

Of course they didn’t want that,

However, he is getting away with murder and there are too many powerful men who think they are way above the laws Atm.

I wish that for once, things were NOT settled out if Court and they were dragged in the press like any other person in the country. Instead Thai case is telling every single powerful men that actually they can pay their way out of trouble.

I think it’s sad. I’d go as far as saying that in some cases it shouldn’t be allowed.

Innocenta · 15/02/2022 16:42

@AlternativePerspective @Blossomtoes @StationaryMagpie

I'm just so... embarrassed for you. Just embarrassed.

HelloFrostyMorning · 15/02/2022 16:43

Doesn't mean he is guilty (or thinks he is.) He just probably wanted it to go away.

How interesting that SHE has settled out of court - AGAIN! Wink

VanCleefArpels · 15/02/2022 16:43

@MaggieMooh

Very disappointing. Yet again the rich get away with disgusting criminal behaviour because they can afford to hire lawyers and pay off their accuser.
Where’s the “crime”? She was over the age of consent. Andrew did not “traffic” her. There’s no evidence that he knew she had been “trafficked”. He was a bloke who was introduced to an apparently willing participant by a friend. I would add I think he’s a despicable waste of skin but not a criminal in these circumstances
justinhawkinsnavalfluff · 15/02/2022 16:43

No one was going to win here. Not surprised they were both advised to settle.

JaninaDuszejko · 15/02/2022 16:43

He would not have agreed to pay out if she did not have damning evidence. She would not have accepted a settlement unless it was so large it became more attractive than the possibility of being pulled apart in court and losing.

Blossomtoes · 15/02/2022 16:43

He was a hero during the Falklands conflict no doubt of that

There’s every doubt among Falklands veterans. He did one very safe flight a day. There were no heroics on display.

Thesearmsofmine · 15/02/2022 16:43

He is a vile man and I am disappointed but not surprised is has gone this way.

HelloFrostyMorning · 15/02/2022 16:44

[quote Innocenta]**@AlternativePerspective* @Blossomtoes* @StationaryMagpie

I'm just so... embarrassed for you. Just embarrassed. [/quote]
Oh do grow up. Hmm People are entitled to have differing/alternative views to you you know!

NativityDreaming · 15/02/2022 16:44

@TerraNovaTwo

I'm not saying he's not guilty, but Giuffre has 'lost' primary damning evidence against Andrew - the photo in which he has his arm wrapped around her 17 year old self. That's the likely reason she has been forced to settle out of court.
Not in her possession as per lawyers, not lost. Rumours say the FBI have it
BringBackCoffeeCreams · 15/02/2022 16:44

I don't blame her at all. She will have been offered a life changing amount of money. Principles are all well and good but they don't put food on the table, or a roof over your kids' heads or pay for the therapy you need to get over being abused as a child.

She's made sure the whole world knows what an utter scumbag he is and no amount of payoff will reverse that. So well done Virginia, you took on a powerful abusive man and came out on top.

TatianaBis · 15/02/2022 16:44

@VanCleefArpels

Weaknesses in her case:

Above age of consent in the jurisdiction in which incidents occurred
She was involved in “recruiting” other girls so arguably a “trafficker” (using same principle that led to Maxwell’s conviction)
Lack of primary corroborated evidence

They were likely to go big on the second of these at trial so was always likely to settle.

Being groomed into recruiting other girls is not a weakness in the case. Its fairly common in abuse networks. Once abused girls get too old to be of sexual interest they are groomed to recruit other girls. Happened in the Rotherham case too.

It’s not even remotely the same principle as Maxwell’s case.

StoneofDestiny · 15/02/2022 16:45

Now let's see if his titles and privileges are restored - he is toxic, deserves no sympathy, is an embarrassment to the country and should not be exalted above the rest of the population - (neither should any of the royal family - but thats another thread!).

TheKeatingFive · 15/02/2022 16:45

I think they didnt want this playing out in Public.

Well of course they didn't, it would have been a disaster for him, can you imagine.

BoodleBug51 · 15/02/2022 16:45

I'm pretty sure he'll be puffed up like a gorilla with this, thinking he can still appear in public with HM for her jubilee celebrations.............

It won't be until Charles takes over that he's banished.

StrawberryPot · 15/02/2022 16:45

Genuinely don't understand why he would make a 'settlement' if he is innocent?

Off the top of my head:

  • To make it go away to spare the queen and his daughters from seeing more sordid headlines. Especially in the queen's jubilee year when the focus should be on her.
  • To spare himself the ordeal of giving evidence in court.
  • To remove the risk of being categorically found guilty (a risk even if you are innocent) and therefore to be able to continue to protest his innocence.

I imagine these are some of the reasons why an innocent person in his particular person would settle. I'm no fan of his but I've no idea if he's guilty or just stupid and unpleasant. But settling doesn't necessarily equate to an acknowledgment of guilt.

montysma1 · 15/02/2022 16:45

It's the same as admitting guilt.
If you were innocent, would you REALLY agree to pay you false accuser a lot of money?
I would be gagging to get to court.

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