US Lawyer Gloria Allred Criticises UK Police Over Andrew's Arrest Priorities
Gloria Allred, a renowned women's rights attorney with five decades of experience, has voiced significant concerns regarding the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. In an interview with the BBC's Today programme, Allred emphasised that while the UK authorities acted swiftly on allegations of sharing state trade secrets, there has been a notable lack of action on sexual assault claims against the former prince.
Allred stated, "The state has acted quickly to make this arrest, but there still has not been any action on the part of the police on allegations that Andrew has committed crimes against women." She further elaborated that allegations involving financial crimes or state secrets appear to receive priority and prompt investigation, whereas accusations of rape, child sexual abuse, and sex trafficking often face prolonged delays and rarely lead to arrests or accountability for victims, particularly women and girls.
Contrast Between UK and US Justice Systems
Allred highlighted that the United Kingdom is making more progress than the United States in holding powerful men accountable within Jeffrey Epstein's social and business circles. She noted that in the US, there has been no meaningful accountability in either the criminal or civil justice systems for individuals who conspired with Epstein to sexually abuse or traffic children and adult female victims.
She criticised the US Department of Justice, suggesting it now acts more like a private law firm for the president, with Donald Trump potentially avoiding prosecution of alleged offenders. Despite legal requirements, not all files from the state's investigation into Epstein have been released, with survivors' names being disclosed while those of rich and powerful alleged perpetrators remain concealed.
Impact on Victims and Future Prosecutions
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has denied raping Virginia Giuffre, who died by suicide before her memoir's release, and previously settled out of court with his alleged victim. Another woman has since come forward with abuse allegations. Allred expressed skepticism that the arrest would lead to "any real justice" for trafficking victims, stating it makes "no difference" to the likelihood of prosecutions in the US.
She concluded, "I can't say that that's going to happen even though it would be nice," underscoring the ongoing challenges in achieving accountability for high-profile individuals involved in such cases.
