Ghislaine Maxwell sentencing - live: Socialite given 20 years in prison for aiding Jeffrey Epstein abuse

Ghislaine Maxwell has been sentenced to 20 years in prison on child sex-trafficking charges - plus a $750,000 fine.

Maxwell, 60, was found guilty on 29 December by a federal jury on five charges, including sex trafficking for the recruitment and grooming of four girls between 1994 and 2004 for sexual encounters with her former boyfriend and “partner in crime” Jeffrey Epstein.

In handing down the sentence in Manhattan Federal Court on Tuesday, Judge Alison Nathan called Maxwell’s conduct “heinous and predatory” and dismissed the assertion that she cannot afford fines.

A shackled Maxwell was joined in court by members of her family as well as several of her victims, who delivered impact statements before the sentence was read.

Maxwell also addressed the court, saying that meeting Epstein was “the biggest regret of my life” and telling victims: “I hope my conviction and harsh incarceration brings you peace and finality.”

Federal prosecutors had sought a 30-55 year sentence for Maxwell, while her defence requested no more than five and quarter.

Key Points

• Maxwell sentenced to 20 years for aiding Epstein abuse

• Maxwell delivers statement at sentencing

• Giuffre accuses socialite of ‘opening door to hell’ in impact statement

• Prosecutors seek 55 year prison term for Ghislaine Maxwell

• Maxwell’s attorneys call for 4-5 year sentence

Victims Sarah Ransome and Elizabeth Stein speak outside court

20:40 , Megan Sheets

Sarah Ransome and Elizabeth Stein, who delivered victim impact statements in court before the sentence was handed down, shared their reactions with reporters:

Maxwell lawyer attacks sentence

20:26 , Megan Sheets

Maxwell’s lawyer Bobbi Sternheim reacted to her 20-year sentence outside the court, saying her client had been “villified”, “pilloried” and “tried and convicted in the court of public opinion”.

Ms Sternheim doubled down on the defence’s intent to appeal and repeated the assertion that Maxwell is being punished for Epstein’s crimes.

“Clever and cunning to the end, Jeffery Epstein left Ghislaine Maxwell holding the whole bag,” she said.

‘No one is above the law’: Judge explains sentence

20:03 , Megan Sheets

Read The Independent’s full recap of today’s sentencing:

Ghislaine Maxwell sentenced to 20 years for helping Jeffery Epstein abuse young girls

Pictured: Maxwell in court

19:46 , Megan Sheets

The court sketch below shows Maxwell seated in court before her sentence was handed down.

Judge adds $750k fine on top of prison sentence

19:39 , Megan Sheets

In addition to 20 years behind bars followed by five years on supervised release, Maxwell has also been ordered to pay a $750,000 fine.

Maxwell’s lawyers requested that she serve her time at the BOP facility in Danbury, Connecticut.

She will be 80 years old when the full prison sentence is up.

Maxwell sentenced to 20 years

19:30 , Megan Sheets

Maxwell will serve 20 years behind bars, Judge Nathan announced at the end of her remarks.

Judge: ‘Her conduct was heinous and predatory'

19:20 , Megan Sheets

Beginning her statement of judgment, Judge Nathan said: “Ms Maxwell is not being punished as a proxy of Epstein, but rather for her role in the criminal conduct.

“She participated in some of the abuse. Her conduct was heinous and predatory.”

Maxwell: 'I hope my conviction and harsh incarceration brings you peace and finality’

19:18 , Megan Sheets

The Independent’s Emily Atkinson has more on Maxwell’s statement to the court:

Ghislaine Maxwell calls meeting Epstein ‘the biggest regret of my life’ at sentencing

Maxwell addresses the court

19:09 , Megan Sheets

After her attorney finished, Maxwell stood to address the court directly.

“I empathise deeply with all the victims in this case,” she began.

“I realise I have been convicted of assisting Jeffrey Epstein to commit these crimes. My association with Epstein will permanently stain me. It is the biggest regret of my life than I ever met him.

“I believe Jeffrey Epstein fooled all of those in his orbit. His victims considered him a mentor, friend, lover.

“Jeffrey Epstein should have stood before you. In 2005. In 2009. And again in 2019. But today it is for me to be sentenced.

“I am sorry for the pain you have experience. I hope my conviction and harsh incarceration brings you peace and finality. I hope this date bring a terrible chapter to the end.”

Maxwell lawyer pleads for leniency

19:02 , Megan Sheets

Maxwell’s lawyer Bobbi Sternheim began her argument for a lenient sentence by addressing the victims who spoke before her, saying: “You have shown courage.”

She went on to say that she will leave issues with the record to the Court of Appeals and said her remarks today are “about the Us asking for multiple decades for a 60-year-old woman”.

Ms Sternheim called the prosecution’s request for the maximum sentence “out of proportion”, adding: “Jeffrey Epstein would have faced the same, and he is clearly more culpable.”

Victim Elizabeth Stein: ‘She wore me down'

18:51 , Megan Sheets

In her own statement, victim Elizabeth Stein told the court how she met Maxwell when she was a 19-year-old intern at a store.

She said Maxwell introduced her to Epstein and billionaire Les Wexner, who she alleged sexually assaulted her.

From there, she said she only became more ensnared in Epstein and Maxwell’s world as they “trafficked” her to their friends in Florida.

“I was raped in New York and Florida for a three-year period. I cannot speak about it. I do not have the vocabulary,” she said.

Victim Sarah Ransome sobs in court

18:46 , Megan Sheets

Taking her turn to address the court, Sarah Ransome broke down in tears as she described how Epstein and Maxwell lured her in with the promise of helping her get in to the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT).

“I experience flashbacks. I am hyper vigilant and do not trust people easily. I will sometimes start crying for reasons I cannot always comprehend. I’ve been diagnosed with anxiety and PTSD and tendency to self-harm,” she said.

Ms Ransome described attempting to take her own life twice, saying: “Only by the grace of God do I continue to live.”

Victim Virginia Giuffre’s statement read by her counsel

18:38 , Megan Sheets

After Kate’s remarks, counsel for Virginia Giuffre read a portion of her victim impact statement as she is not physically present at the court.

“I want to be clear: without question, Jeffrey Epstein was a terrible paedophile. But I only met him because of you,” she wrote.

“You used your femininity to victimize us. You could have put an end to the rapes.

“I have grown into a woman who on her best days feels she is making a difference. If you get out of prison I will watch to make sure you don’t do it again.”

Victim Kate: ‘Ghislaine’s lack of remorse is the final insult'

18:35 , Megan Sheets

The next victim to address the court was Kate, who has only been identified by her first name.

“No person should be shielded from the consequences of their actions,” she said.

“Ghislaine’s lack of remorse is the final insult.”

She continued: “Today I stand for the first time with my sisters to say enough is enough.

“I take no pleasure in being part of a world in which this is necessary. Stop Ghislaine. I could not have done this alone.”

Annie Farmer delivers victim impact statement

18:31 , Megan Sheets

The first victim to address the court was Annie Farmer, who described her years-long efforts to “erase” Maxwell and Epstein’s crimes from her mind.

After Judge Nathan interjected to ask Ms Farmer to slow down, she said: “The ripple effects of trauma are undeniable.”

She described learning that her sister had also been a victim of Epstein and Maxwell, saying: “As my family watched her become more isolated and physically ill, there was nothing we could do.”

Addressing the judge, Ms Farmer said: “Consider the ongoing suffering of her victims. Weigh the systematic effects of her acts.

“Her lack of remorse created the need for many of us to begin a long struggle for justice.”

Maxwell was ‘indifferent’ to victims’ suffering, prosecutor says

18:20 , Megan Sheets

AUSA Moe continued by asking: “What kind of woman teaches a 14-year-old girl how a middle-aged man likes to have his penis touched?

“She was indifferent to the suffering of others. She did it for years.”

Prosecution presents argument for maximum sentence

18:15 , Megan Sheets

Assistant US Attorney Alison Moe is now addressing the court with the prosecution’s argument for why Maxwell should receive a harsh sentence between 30 and 55 years.

She called what Maxwell did to her victims “unspeakable”, adding: “Their pain is real and it matters.

“These girls were just kids. Maxwell used their dreams as a tool to abuse them.”

Maxwell will face fine

17:37 , Megan Sheets

Judge Nathan confirmed that she will impose a fine on Maxwell after contests from the defence, including in regards to the $10m bequest from Epstein’s estate.

“We don’t know if there will be any money left,” Maxwell’s lawyer said, according to Inner City Press.

The judge concluded she is “unpersuaded” that Maxwell is indigent, noting that she reported $22m in assets when seeking bail.

The court is now in recess for lunch until 1pm.

“When we return, I will hear from the parties as to what they contend a reasonable sentence is for Ms Maxwell,” Judge Nathan said.

Judge calls Maxwell’s criminal activity ‘extensive’

17:17 , Megan Sheets

“I find that the defendant’s criminal activity was extensive,” Judge Nathan told the court.

She also described Maxwell as Epstein’s “number two” and the “lady” of his house is refuting her claim that she did not lead another criminal participant.

As such, the judge said she finds that the undue influence sentencing enhancement applies.

Judge agrees to apply 2003 sentencing guidelines

17:06 , Megan Sheets

In a victory for the defence, Judge Nathan agreed that 2003 sentencing guidelines should be applied.

“The controlling date for ex-post facto purposes is the last date of the offense conduct,” she said, after a lengthy back and forth over when the conspiracy ended.

In pictures: Arrivals at the court

16:47 , Megan Sheets

Judge turns to sentencing guidelines

16:38 , Megan Sheets

Having overruled each of the defence objections, Judge Nathan adopted the pre-sentencing report and said it will remain under seal.

She then turned to sentencing guidelines, noting that the US Probation Office has recommended 20 years.

In asking for a minimum of 30 years, prosecutors previously argued that Probation Office recommendation does not take into account the cases of two additional women proven to be victims during her four-week trial just before Christmas, despite their not being named in the initial indictment against Maxwell.

In court on Tuesday, Maxwell’s lawyer Christian Everdell told the judge: “We argue that which guidelines apply is a jury question, under the ex post facto clause. The government did not engage with our arguments. When did the offense conduct terminate? It’s up to the jury to decide.”

Assistant US Attorney Alison Moe responded by saying the defendant has the burden of proof in determining when the conspiracy ended.

Judge overrules defence objections

16:19 , Megan Sheets

Judge Nathan is now going through defence objections to the pre-sentencing investigative report, thus far overruling each.

The report, prepared by a probation officer, can influence the judge’s decision on sentencing but she is not bound by its findings.

Based on its objections to the report, the defence is arguing for four to five years behind bars. The prosecution, meanwhile, has asked for 30 to 55 years.

Maxwell dressed in scrubs and shackles

16:14 , Megan Sheets

Maxwell entered the court dressed in navy jail-issued scrubs topped with shackles.

She stood emotionless as Judge Nathan took her spot on the bench and began proceedings.

Asked if she’d read the pre-sentencing report, Maxwell replied: “I have an an opportunity to read it.”

Hearing expected to last several hours

16:09 , Megan Sheets

Maxwell’s sentencing hearing is expected to be quite lengthy, given the number of victim impact statements that could be read in court.

Eight statements were released ahead of the hearing, including from Virginia Giuffre, Annie Farmer and Kate, who was identified only by her first name in court documents.

Ms Farmer was seen entering the court on Tuesday morning. Judge Alison Nathan ruled that Ms Giuffre could read part of her statement to the court, however she will not be there in person.

Maxwell’s defence will also have a chance to present testimonials on her behalf, the judge said at the start of the hearing.

Sentencing hearing begins

16:02 , Megan Sheets

The scheduled start time of Maxwell’s hearing has arrived, at 11am EST.

Footage from outside the court showed long lines of media personnel waiting to enter the court, as well as Maxwell’s siblings.

What each accuser told the court ahead of Maxwell’s sentencing

15:35 , Megan Sheets

Maxwell’s victims are set to tell the court in the Southern District of New York of her “relentless and insatiable drive to meet the sexual needs of Epstein” and their “retraumatisation” over having to give evidence during the trial at her sentencing today.

Despite not being part of the indictment, the victim impact statement of Prince Andrew’s accuser, Virginia Giuffre, is due to be read to the court where she says Maxwell “opened the door to hell” so she could be abused by Epstein. The Duke of York has consistently denied Ms Giuffre’s allegations.

Other victims, Annie Farmer and Kate, will have their statements read to the court and five others said they could submit them in writing. Ahead of the sentencing, The Independent‘s Joe Sommerlad has compiled excerpts of all the victim impact statements below:

Ghislaine Maxwell branded a ‘monster’ by victims in sentencing impact statements

View from outside the court

15:12 , Megan Sheets

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley is at the Manhattan Federal Court for Maxwell’s sentencing hearing.

Annie Farmer, who testified at the trial, has just arrived with her attorney.

Here’s Bevan’s view waiting to get inside the courthouse:

Everything you need to know about Maxwell’s conviction

15:00 , Megan Sheets

Prosecutors are asking for up to 55 years for child sex-trafficking convictions at Maxwell’s sentencing on Tuesday.

The Independent’s Joe Sommerlad explains what to know about her conviction:

Everything you need to know about the Ghislaine Maxwell sentencing

Jeffrey Epstein’s island: What really happened there?

14:30 , Johanna Chisholm

Accusers say billionaire’s private paradise of Little St James in US Virgin Islands was centre of international sex trafficking ring.

Read Io Dodds’ report below.

Jeffrey Epstein’s island: What really happened there?

ICYMI: Ghislaine Maxwell’s wealthy ex lovers and why they’re suddenly being used in the courtroom

14:00 , Johanna Chisholm

Socialite’s attorneys are trying to rehabilitate her image through her relationships with Ted Waitt and Scott Borgerson ahead of her sentencing on Tuesday.

Ghislaine Maxwell’s wealthy exes and why they’re suddenly being used in the courtroom

Virginia Giuffre accuses socialite of ‘opening door to hell’ in damning impact statement

13:06 , Johanna Chisholm

Virginia Giuffre, who has become one of the most well-known accusers of Jeffrey Epstein after settling a sexual assault case against the Duke of York, who denies her claims, released a damning victim impact statement where she accuses Ghislaine Maxwell of “opening the door to hell”.

“I want to be clear about one thing: without question, Jeffrey Epstein was a terrible paedophile. But I never would have met Jeffrey Epstein if not for you,” she began, noting that she was between the ages of 16 and 19 when she suffered at the hands of Maxwell and Epstein. “For me, and for so many others, you opened the door to hell.”

“And then, Ghislaine, like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, you used your femininity to betray us, and you led us all through it,” she wrote, adding how crossing paths with Maxwell “changed the course of our lives forever”.

“Ghislaine, the pain you have caused me is almost indescribable. Because of your choices and the world you brought me into, I don’t sleep. Nightmares wake me at all hours,” wrote Ms Giuffre.

She closed by saying she believes that Maxwell deserves “to spend the rest of your life in a jail cell”, comparing it to how “you trapped your victims”.

“My promise to you is as follows: As long as you and perpetrators like you continue to prey upon the vulnerable, I will not stop standing up and speaking out.”

Sam Rkaina has the latest developments on this breaking news story.

Virginia Giuffre accuses Maxwell of ‘opening door to hell’ in damning statement

‘These things cannot be replaced’: Annie Farmer says in victim impact statement

12:55 , Johanna Chisholm

Annie Farmer, who told a court that Ghislaine Maxwell gave her a nude massage and groped her breasts at Mr Epstein’s ranch in Sanata Fe, New Mexico when she was 16, said in her victim impact statement that she has “wanted to erase from my mind the crimes that Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein committed against me and pretend they hadn’t happened” for a “long time”.

“It was the type of dark memory that feels safest to keep locked away, and so I did the best I could,” Ms Farmer wrote, adding that she’s experienced “irritability” and felt disoriented in recent years as she’s been asked to recount to law enforcement and media what happened to her.

“One of the most painful and ongoing impacts of Maxwell and Epstein’s abuse was a loss of trust in myself, my perceptions, and my instincts,” she said, adding: “When predators groom and then abuse or exploit children and other vulnerable people, they are, in a sense, training them to distrust themselves.”

“The ripple effects of trauma are undeniable, when one person is abused, many others are harmed.”

“Judge Nathan, I hope when you consider the appropriate prison sentence for the role Maxwell played in this sex trafficking operation, you take into account the ongoing suffering of the many women she abused and exploited as we will continue to live with the memories of the ways she harmed us.”

“I ask you to bear in mind how Maxwell’s unwillingness to acknowledge her crimes, her lack of remorse, and her repeated lies about her victims created the need for many of us to engage in a long fight for justice that has felt like a black hole sucking in our precious time, energy, and wellbeing for much too long now.”

“These things cannot be replaced.”

Victims impact statements released: ‘Simply put, Ghislaine Maxwell is a monster'

12:48 , Johanna Chisholm

Juliette Bryant and Annie Farmer, two of the victims who have testified about the abuse they suffered at the hands of Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein, have released their victim impact statements, which will be considered by the court in a written format on Tuesday.

“Simply put, Ghislaine Maxwell is a monster,” said Ms Bryant, a South African businesswoman, in her statement.

“Ever since she and Jeffrey Epstein got their hands on me, I have never felt OK. Thinking about them still gives me frequent panic attacks and night terrors. All of the victims, including myself, are eternally grateful for everyone that has helped expose these criminals,” she said in her statement, adding that: “I appreciate Your Honour imposing the maximum sentence available.”

ICYMI: What accusers Carolyn, Jane, Kate and Annie Farmer said at her sex-trafficking trial

12:00 , Bevan Hurley

Testifimony from four women who were young girls when they suffered at the hands of Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein was key to the prosecution securing guilty verdicts on five out of six counts.

Rachel Sharp has the details.

Ghislaine Maxwell: What Carolyn and three other accusers said at trial

From Trump to Prince Andrew: All the famous names embroiled in the Ghislaine Maxwell trial

10:45 , Bevan Hurley

Maxwell’s victims testified they found her famous connections both alluring and intimidating.

From Trump to Prince Andrew: All the biggest names embroiled in the Maxwell trial

Twelve striking images from the Ghislaine Maxwell trial

09:20 , Bevan Hurley

From frolicking on jets, and boats, to black tie events in royal castles, here are some of the most striking images released during Maxwell’s trial.

Twelve of the most striking images from the Ghislaine Maxwell trial

Everything you need to know Ghislaine Maxwell is sentenced for sex trafficking conviction

07:50 , Bevan Hurley

Prosecutors asking for up to 55 years for child sex-trafficking convictions at socialite’s sentencing on Tuesday.

Everything you need to know about the Ghislaine Maxwell sentencing

Ghislaine Maxwell blames ‘overbearing, narcissistic, and demanding father’ for why she fell under Epstein’s spell

06:20 , Bevan Hurley

An infant-age Ghislaine Maxwell would frequently be ‘reduced to a pulp’ by her father and was vulnerable to manipulative men, her lawyers claimed ahead of Tuesday’s sentencing.

Ghislaine Maxwell blames ‘narcissistic’ father for why she fell under Epstein’s spell

Ghislaine Maxwell’s wealthy ex lovers and why they’re suddenly being used in the courtroom

04:50 , Bevan Hurley

The socialite’s attorneys are trying to rehabilitate her image through her relationships with Ted Waitt and Scott Borgerson ahead of her sentencing on Tuesday.

Ghislaine Maxwell’s wealthy exes and why they’re suddenly being used in the courtroom

Ghislaine Maxwell put on suicide watch ahead of sentencing

03:00 , Bevan Hurley

Lawyer argues Maxwell will be prevented from preparing for sentencing hearing in time.

Liam James has the story.

Ghislaine Maxwell put on suicide watch ahead of sentencing

Inmate praises ‘genuine and kind’ Ghislaine Maxwell

01:45 , Bevan Hurley

An inmate at the Metropolitan Detention Center says Ghislaine Maxwell has volunteered to teach yoga and English to prisoners in her unit.

The letter signed by Tatiana Venegas was submitted by Maxwell’s lawyers ahead of her sentencing on Tuesday.

“When Ghislaine Maxwell first arrived in the unit, she introduced herself to everyone with a handshake. ‘Hi, I’m Maxwell’ she says with a smile genuine and kind.

“It took some of us by surprise. Within one week of Maxwell arriving, she had volunteered to teach ESL, teach yoga, and help women with their GED (adult learning programme).”

Maxwell has been jailed in the detention center in Brooklyn since her arrest in July 2020.

From Trump to Prince Andrew: All the famous names embroiled in the Ghislaine Maxwell trial

Tuesday 28 June 2022 00:20 , Bevan Hurley

Ghislaine Maxwell’s victims testified they found her famous connections both alluring and intimidating.

From Trump to Prince Andrew: All the biggest names embroiled in the Maxwell trial

Jeffrey Epstein’s island: What really happened there?

Monday 27 June 2022 23:05 , Bevan Hurley

Accusers say billionaire’s private paradise of Little St James in US Virgin Islands was centre of international sex trafficking ring.

Read Io Dodds’ report below.

Jeffrey Epstein’s island: What really happened there?

Everything you need to know about Ghislaine Maxwell sentencing

Monday 27 June 2022 21:50 , Bevan Hurley

“Ghislaine Maxwell sexually exploited young girls for years. It is difficult to overstate the magnitude of her crimes and the harm she caused. Her crimes demand justice,” prosecutors wrote in a filing ahead of the sentencing.

Read Joe Sommerlad’s preview here.

Everything you need to know about the Ghislaine Maxwell sentencing

Twelve striking images from the Ghislaine Maxwell trial

Monday 27 June 2022 21:23 , Bevan Hurley

Planes, pools and palatial properties: Twelve striking images from the Ghislaine Maxwell trial.

Twelve of the most striking images from the Ghislaine Maxwell trial

Jeffrey Epstein’s island: What really happened there?

Monday 27 June 2022 19:20 , Bevan Hurley

Accusers say billionaire’s private paradise of Little St James in US Virgin Islands was centre of international sex trafficking ring.

Read Io Dodds’ report below.

Jeffrey Epstein’s island: What really happened there?

From Trump to Prince Andrew: All the famous names embroiled in the Ghislaine Maxwell trial

Monday 27 June 2022 18:41 , Bevan Hurley

Ghislaine Maxwell’s accusers testified they found her famous connections both alluring and intimidating.

From Trump to Prince Andrew: All the biggest names embroiled in the Maxwell trial

What accusers Carolyn, Jane, Kate and Annie Farmer said at her sex-trafficking trial

Monday 27 June 2022 18:15 , Bevan Hurley

Four witnesses testified about the abuse they suffered at the hands of Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein.

Rachel Sharp has the story.

Ghislaine Maxwell: What Carolyn and three other accusers said at trial

Twelve striking images from the Ghislaine Maxwell trial

Monday 27 June 2022 17:13 , Bevan Hurley

Planes, pools and palatial properties: Twelve striking images from the Ghislaine Maxwell trial.

Twelve of the most striking images from the Ghislaine Maxwell trial

Inmate praises ‘genuine and kind’ Ghislaine Maxwell

Monday 27 June 2022 16:59 , Bevan Hurley

An inmate at the Metropolitan Detention Center says Ghislaine Maxwell has volunteered to teach yoga and English to prisoners in her unit.

The letter signed by Tatiana Venegas was submitted by Maxwell’s lawyers ahead of her sentencing on Tuesday.

“When Ghislaine Maxwell first arrived in the unit, she introduced herself to everyone with a handshake. ‘Hi, I’m Maxwell’ she says with a smile genuine and kind.

“It took some of us by surprise. Within one week of Maxwell arriving, she had volunteered to teach ESL, teach yoga, and help women with their GED (adult learning programme).”

Maxwell has been jailed in the detention center in Brooklyn since her arrest in July 2020.

Most explosive revelations from inside Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial

Monday 27 June 2022 16:48 , Bevan Hurley

Bombshell revelations of Ghislaine Maxwell and Epstein’s inner world dominated the trial where she was found guilty of child sex-trafficking.

Read more:

Most explosive revelations from the Ghislaine Maxwell trial

Prosecutors say Ghislaine Maxwell sentencing should proceed

Monday 27 June 2022 16:30 , Bevan Hurley

In a new filing on Monday morning, prosecutors argue that Maxwell’s sentencing should not be delayed even though she has been placed on suicide watch.

Maxwell still has access to all of her legal documents and can be visited by her attorneys, according to a letter submitted by US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams.

They said the both the warden and chief psychologist at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn have confirmed that Maxwell is able to “continue to prepare for sentencing unencumbered”.

“While she claimed to the (Bureau of Prisons Inspector General’s Office) to be in fear for her safety, she refused to tell psychology staff what that fear is.

“Given the defendant’s inconsistent accounts to the (Inspector General) and to psychology staff, the Chief Psychologist assesses the defendant to be at additional risk of self- harm, as it appears she may be attempting to be transferred to a single cell where she can engage in self-harm.

“The defendant will remain on suicide watch until the MDC assesses that she is no longer at heightened risk of self-harm.”

Judge Alison Nathan is expected to issue a ruling on whether the sentencing can go ahead.

Everything you need to know about Ghislaine Maxwell sentencing

Monday 27 June 2022 14:54 , Bevan Hurley

“Ghislaine Maxwell sexually exploited young girls for years. It is difficult to overstate the magnitude of her crimes and the harm she caused. Her crimes demand justice,” prosecutors wrote in a filing ahead of the sentencing.

Read Joe Sommerlad’s preview here.

Everything you need to know about the Ghislaine Maxwell sentencing

‘She opened the door to hell’ – Maxwell victims to speak out at sentencing

Monday 27 June 2022 22:24 , Bevan Hurley

Several victims are seeking to speak at Ghislaine Maxwell’s sentencing hearing on Tuesday.

Josh Payne has the details.

‘She opened the door to hell’ – Maxwell victims to speak out at sentencing