Day: 4 January 2022

Witnesses making their way back home from visiting the Yorkshire Dales National park, have been stopped and turned back due to a ‘major incident confirmed by police’.

Prince Andrew’s lawyers will argue in a US court later today that the civil sexual assault lawsuit against the Duke should be dismissed.

Andrew is being sued by Virginia Giuffre for allegedly sexually assaulting her 20 years ago – when she was a teenager.

A sealed document made public on Monday showed convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein paid her $500,000 to end her claim against him – and agree not to sue any other “potential defendant”.
While the settlement with Epstein does not mention the prince by name, his lawyers say the deal means she cannot sue him.

Prince Andrew has consistently denied the allegations.

The newspaper coverage of the lawsuit range from wanting to see the prince face the consequences and not allowing Virginia Giuffre to be ‘silenced’. Others downplay the allegations against him, while some publications look ahead to what the prince is up against if the case isn’t thrown out today.

The Times says a lawyer representing victims of Jeffrey Epstein has said Prince Andrew has a “mountain to climb” to persuade a New York judge to dismiss the sexual assault case against him.

Daily Mail says the settlement signed by Prince Andrew’s accuser has been unsealed, and the Duke hopes it’ll clear his name and end with the lawsuit against him being dropped.

The Guardian says a US judge is to hear arguments by Prince Andrew’s legal representatives to have the sexual assault civil lawsuit brought against him dismissed.

The i says Prince Andrew must provide evidence that he was at Pizza Express on the evening that he is alleged to have sexually assaulted Virginia Giuffre in Ghislaine Maxwell’s London home.

Millions of families face “seismic” energy bill rises this year, with experts predicting the average annual bill of £1,277 reports the Metro.

The Independent leads with details of a settlement between Jeffrey Epstein and Virginia Giuffre that Prince Andrew’s lawyers believe will stop him from facing a sex abuse trial.

Italian lawmakers will elect the country’s next president on January 24 with Sergio Berlusconi and current prime minister Mario Draghi…

Multiple NHS trusts across England have declared “critical incidents” amid soaring staff absences due to COVID-19, reports The Guardian.