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US judge rules that Prince Andrew sex assault case can proceed
A US judge ruled that a sexual assault lawsuit brought against Prince Andrew can move forward, piling pressure on the royal and causing further embarrassment for the British monarchy.
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In this file photo taken on November 03, 2019, Britain's Prince Andrew, Duke of York leaves after speaking at the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Bangkok. (AFP/Lillian Suwanrumpha)
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US judge ruled Wednesday that a sexual assault lawsuit brought against Prince Andrew can move forward, piling pressure on the royal and causing further embarrassment for the British monarchy.
New York judge Lewis Kaplan said he "denied in all respects" Andrew's motion to dismiss the civil complaint by accuser Virginia Giuffre, who says the prince abused her when she was 17.
Giuffre alleges that late disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein lent her out for sex with his wealthy and powerful associates, including to Andrew, an allegation that Queen Elizabeth II's second son has repeatedly and strenuously denied.
Andrew's lawyers had last week urged Kaplan to throw out the suit, citing a settlement that Giuffre signed in 2009 with Epstein.
Andrew's attorney Andrew Brettler said Giuffre had "waived her rights" to sue other defendants in relation to alleged sex crimes committed by Epstein.
But Kaplan said in his 46-page decision that the agreement was "riddled with drafting problems and ambiguities."
"The parties have articulated at least two reasonable interpretations of the critical language. The agreement therefore is ambiguous," he wrote.
