Andrew

[KenAdams]

The judge won't dismiss the case.

The BBC has just said that he has three choices:

• settle out of court
• defer, which means the ruling will automatically go against him
• go to trial.

I can't see that any of those options will be attractive to him and he will have to finally face the consequences of his behaviour.

@StrychnineInTheSandwiches

I can't believe (well, I suppose I can) that Andrew tried to diddle the French woman whose skiing chalet he purchased, of the final £5m installment. What a grubby little man. In all aspects of his life.

It seems pretty consistent for someone who's spent a lifetime able to abuse a position of power with no consequences.

Yep. A lifetime of his being indulged has led to this moment. I wonder if his mama has any regrets.

Well he's blagged his way into everything rich pension accommodating him and his ex wife for years, when he was that business envoy he just hung out with billionaire sheiks so hom having to actually pay for something must come as a complete shock!

Rich people* sorry not pension!

@SickAndTiredAgain

Thinking about it, it's understandable that he may not have known that the age of consent is higher in the States, so perhaps he genuinely didn't realise that what he was doing was illegal.

Is that how it works? I thought it was the age of consent where you were at the time that mattered? Or is it the trafficking that makes the age an issue - although I’d have thought trafficking would be the issue regardless of age?

I agree, the trafficking would be an issue, regardless of age. I don't think a person who has been trafficked and forced into being a sex slave would ever be deemed to have given consent in such circumstances.

I'm not in any way condoning A's behaviour, it was sleazy. Also, if he knew that the girl had been trafficked and coerced into having sex with Epstein's house guests, that obviously puts a totally different light on things. If he knew all that, but still went ahead, that is vile behaviour. So, at best he looks like a sleazy, naive man, at worst he looks like a predatory abuser, with no moral compass. Either way I can't imagine that anyone wants to see him taking part in public life now.

Andrew must have the worst advisers and legal team in history.

He really doesnt. He is rumoured to ignore them.

Why isn't this in Chat? @MNHQ

Unbelievable about that Swiss chalet payment. WTAF

@user1363157897422457887532356

The Metro published a few days ago:

Reports suggest Ms Giuffre is unlikely to accept a financial settlement because she wants to send a message that anyone accused of preying on young girls will face the full force of the law.

Which is the impression I get of Giuffre. She has spent a decade fighting for justice for trafficking victims. The symbolism of being able to take down a member of the Royal Family is not insignificant!

She seems like a woman on a mission to me.

Yes, I wonder how she is financing it, it must be costing a lot of money?

@TheWomandestroyed I’d chuck her a few dollars if she needed it. I’m sure she would have no trouble raising funds

I am sure there will be rich women and maybe a few men who want to bring down this sex trafficking ring. Going after someone high profile is a good tactic to begin to blow it open wide.

It says in The Times today that her lawyers are working pro bono.

Good for them. They obviously want to see justice done.

@DidgeDoolittle

It says in The Times today that her lawyers are working pro bono.

Ah. I wondered. Briefly tried googling last night but search results were all about how PA was funding his fees even though I hadn't included his name in the search terms.

I did learn that VG has set up a non-profit organisation to support trafficking victims.

The victim blaming narrative that's been built up around VG is very frustrating.

Yes I think its called Victims refuse silence or something. She was talking about it a while back on a TV programme.

Call me cynical but I think the RF are making a big deal of Andrew being responsible for his own costs, both for to curtail damage done to the reputation of the Queen but also to limit the settlement - if it was believed that the Queen was bankrolling the settlement, that would drive the price right up!
I think that whatever this costs him, the Queen will find a way to get money back to him in the future.
If I was Andrew I'd be shitting myself that the Queen might die before that happens, because I doubt that Charles is going to help him out!

You are probably right. But presumably he could in theory sell his leased house?

Apparently there have been other men involved too, why are they not being pursued ?

Hopefully all those involved in this sleaze will be pursued, I doubt JE and M were the only 2 involved in international sex trafficking. The other men involved should also be held to account.

@thereisonlyoneofme the lawyers are working pro-bono. There is not a number of pro bono lawyers or money about I would imagine to launch multiple lawsuits at the same time. So it was Epstein, then Maxwell, now Andrew. They will I am sure go after others after Andrew. These cases take an enormous amount of work, and unlike Andrew, Maxwell and Epstein, the raped and trafficked women can not afford to hire top lawyers to fight all cases at the same time.

@Aderyn21

Call me cynical but I think the RF are making a big deal of Andrew being responsible for his own costs, both for to curtail damage done to the reputation of the Queen but also to limit the settlement - if it was believed that the Queen was bankrolling the settlement, that would drive the price right up! I think that whatever this costs him, the Queen will find a way to get money back to him in the future. If I was Andrew I'd be shitting myself that the Queen might die before that happens, because I doubt that Charles is going to help him out!

All of this!

Cripes! www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10399083/Veterans-demand-Queen-strips-Andrew-military-honours.html#comments Queen means business!

Yes, no room for interpretation in that statement!

Distancing herself indeed.