The Duke of York has won a judicial review over search warrants granted to Thames Valley Police, but the ruling does not end the investigation into him. The former prince remains under investigation and has not been charged with any offence.
Warrants quashed after legal challenge
At the High Court today, which Andrew did not attend, it was heard how he and the police force that arrested him on his 66th birthday in February had agreed the warrants were unlawful. Thames Valley Police accepted that the court's decision to issue the warrants under the particular legislation used was incorrect, and that they must be quashed.
Andrew's lawyers challenged both the conduct of the raids and whether the warrants, granted by an Old Bailey judge in February, should ever have been issued. However, Mr Justice Hilliard made clear that quashing the warrants does not end the investigation, nor does it mean the whole inquiry was unlawful.
What the ruling means for Andrew
Andrew remains under investigation and has consistently denied wrongdoing. The ruling does not change that position, and it does not detail the substance of what police are examining.
His case began with the claim that officers seized private and confidential material unconnected to the criminal investigation. If the warrants were unlawful, the fate of whatever was taken becomes a live issue. A decision regarding whether the seized materials can be used in the investigation will not take place until next year.
Impact on the royal family
For the King, who felt moved this week to clarify that none of the allowance he gives his brother should be used in his legal action, the prospect of a long drawn-out investigation and further potential legal challenges will be more than uncomfortable.
The case stems from allegations that Andrew passed on confidential information and documents to Jeffrey Epstein, the late convicted sex offender. It led to the first arrest of a senior royal for 350 years. Andrew may have been stripped of his titles and exiled but he continues to be a very present problem for the monarchy.
