A decision should be made “pretty soon” on whether Virginia Giuffre’s sex assault civil lawsuit against Prince Andrew should be dismissed, a US judge has said.
Ms Giuffre, formerly known as Virginia Roberts, is suing Andrew after claiming he “committed sexual assault and battery” upon her when she was a teenager.
Andrew Brettler, representing the Duke of York, is attempting to have the civil lawsuit facing the royal dismissed by a New York judge.
Prince Andrew court hearing – this is what happened, as it happened
Mr Brettler earlier told the court that Virginia Giuffre “needs to lock herself into a story now” as he demanded she provide further details of the royal’s alleged sexual assault.
Addressing Judge Lewis Kaplan on Tuesday, Mr Brettler said Ms Giuffre “doesn’t articulate what supposedly happened to her at the hands of Prince Andrew”.
“We don’t even have a date, a time, a location other than an apartment, we don’t know when this was,” he said.
“She doesn’t explain what this alleged abuse was.
“We do not know the details of these allegations and it’s time that we do before Prince Andrew is forced to answer these very serious allegations.”
However, Judge Kaplan insisted Ms Giuffre “has no obligation to do that in a complaint”, adding: “I understand your point, it just isn’t the law.”
When the duke’s lawyer said “we don’t know what the conduct was”, the judge replied: “Involuntary sexual intercourse. There’s no doubt what that means.”
Mr Brettler argued that Andrew “should not be dragged into this court 20 years after” the alleged assault was said to have taken place.
“Witnesses die, witnesses may be incarcerated,” he added.
The duke’s lawyer said the lawsuit should “absolutely be dismissed”.
“It is unfair, it is unjust, it should be dismissed,” Mr Brettler said.