Ghislaine Maxwell set to appear in court for bail application over Jeffrey Epstein allegations

Ghislaine Maxwell wants to appear in court again later this week to argue to be released on bail.

US prosecutors said in a letter that the defence lawyer for Maxwell, who has been detained without bail after agreeing to be moved to New York, would like a bail hearing on Friday after written arguments are submitted by both sides.

The British socialite has been accused by many women of helping procure underage sex partners for Jeffrey Epstein and was arrested last week in New Hampshire.

An indictment made public last week said Maxwell facilitated Epstein’s crimes by “helping Epstein to recruit, groom, and ultimately abuse” girls as young as 14. It also said she participated in the sexual abuse.

The indictment included counts of conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and two counts of perjury.

Maxwell has previously repeatedly denied wrongdoing and called some of the claims against her “absolute rubbish”.

Epstein killed himself in a federal detention centre in New York last summer while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

The new hearing will come after it was reported at the weekend that Maxwell had a private tour of Buckingham Palace organised by the Duke of York and sat on a throne.

A source close to the duke told the Evening Standard he is “bewildered” by claims made by US authorities that he has not offered to co-operate with the Epstein case.

Audrey Strauss, acting US attorney for the southern district of New York, told a press conference that authorities would “welcome” a statement from the duke in relation to the investigation.

Additional reporting by the Associated Press

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