FIVE key witnesses could be called to link Prince Andrew to his rape accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre – as well as Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
The Duke of York, 61, is facing a trial over a lawsuit filed by Ms Giuffre who claims she was forced to have sex with him three times in 2001 and 2002 – in London, New York and on a private Caribbean island.
Ms Giuffre alleges she was trafficked to have sex with Andrew by multimillionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and his twisted lover Ghislaine Maxwell.
Andrew has always strongly denied all allegations made against him and said he was not aware of any improper behaviour by his paedo pals.
Virginia’s lawyers have now revealed there first two witnesses they will be calling as the case against the Duke goes ahead.
Robert Olney, the Duke’s former equerry, and Shukri Walker, who claims to have seen Andrew at Tramp nightclub in London on the night he is alleged to have forced Ms Giuffre to have sex with him, will be called.
And meanwhile Andrew will have breathed a sigh of relief as it was reported that his daughter Beatrice, who he claims he was with on the night he is said to have met Virginia, will not be called as a witness.
No more Brits are expected to be called – potentially ruling out any other royals facing having to give a deposition.
But here are five more witnesses could be called to testify against the Duke of York and link him to Ms Giuffre, Epstein and Maxwell.
Johanna Sjoberg
Epstein’s former personal assistant Johanna Sjoberg has claimed the Duke groped her breast when she was 21 years old while she sat on a sofa with him and Ms Giuffre.
Court documents revealed Andrew allegedly touched the Florida hairdresser, 41, as they posed for a picture.
In her testimony in 2016, she said Andrew and Ms Giuffre were sat on a couch with a Spitting Image puppet on her lap.
She said: “And so then I sat on Andrew’s lap – and I believe on my own volition – and they took the puppet’s hands and put it on Virginia’s breast, and so Andrew put his on mine.”
Ms Sjoberg, an American, alleged the incident happened at the New York home of his deceased paedo pal Epstein, according to court papers.
Steve Scully
Ms Giuffre’s lawyers have also secured the testimony of Steve Scully, who worked for Epstein.
The paedophile’s former handyman has claimed he saw him sexually assaulting Ms Giuffre.
Telecoms specialist Scully revealed he saw the Duke of York on Epstein’s “Paedo Island” to 7News in the documentary Spotlight: Sex, Lies and Videotape.
The 71-year-old has insisted he saw the prince on Epstein’s private island and even spoke to him while he was with Ms Giuffre.
In an audio recording of Scully he claims: “He [Prince Andrew] removed her bathing suit top and then started grinding against her and grabbing her a**.
“They were kissing as well. Virginia was standing there, she kinda looked like she was like a deer caught in the headlights of the car.”
Scully said they were “bumping and grinding” for several minutes before lying on lounge chairs by the pool.
He previously told The Celeb Report he is willing to give evidence in court.
Anthony Figueroa
Ms Giuffre’s ex-boyfriend claimed she confided in him about the alleged abuse 20 years ago.
Anthony Figueroa, 39, said his then-girlfriend was “scared” of what Maxwell and Epstein made her do with Andrew.
He claims Ms Giuffre knew what the vile pair expected of her – which included acting as bait to attract more victims – but she “didn’t want to do it”.
The Duke of York has so far avoided questioning on what he knows, but Mr Figueroa is calling for Andrew to “face up to the case”.
He told The Mirror: “Being royal makes no difference. Andrew has to face up to the case.
“I remember the first time Virginia mentioned him in 2001. She knew she’d be meeting him and said she knew what they wanted her to do with him and she didn’t want to do it.
“She said she was scared and nervous. I told her she had to do whatever it took to feel safe.”
As well as being intimate with the prince, Mr Figueroa claimed his teenage partner was also repeatedly forced to have sex with Maxwell while Epstein watched.
Larry Visoski
Epstein’s long-time pilot, Larry Visoski, testified at the trial of Maxwell that he flew VIPs to luxury locations worldwide – including Prince Andrew.
Mr Visoski, who served as Epstein’s pilot for over 25 years, also recalled flying Ms Giuffre.
Asked if he remembered Ms Giuffre, Mr Visoski said: “Yes. A shorter woman with dirty blonde hair. She didn’t look young.
“I mean, whatever you decipher is the definition of young. But she was a woman in my category.”
Mr Visoski said he flew Epstein on average every four days between his houses in New York, Florida, New Mexico, the US Virgin Islands and Paris.
The prince would have appeared on flight logs from trips made by Epstein’s private jets and appeared in Maxwell’s “little black book” of nearly 2,000 famous contacts.
‘Jane’
David Boies said his team may get Maxwell’s youngest victim, “Jane”, to testify against Prince Andrew.
She was 14 when she was groomed by the British socialite and told the Maxwell trial she flew on Epstein’s jet — dubbed the “Lolita Express” — with Prince Andrew.
She claimed Maxwell fondled her as Epstein pleasured himself before the twisted financier abused her with sex toys.
Jane, now in her early 40s and an actress, also told the court that an “orgy” took place in the mansion’s massage room on multiple occasions and both Maxwell and Epstein allegedly took part.
She also testified at Maxwell’s trial that she was on a flight with Prince Andrew during the same period of time that the socialite and Epstein sexually abused her.
When Maxwell’s attorney Laura Menninger asked whether Andrew had ever been on one of the flights she was on, Jane answered: “Yes.”
