Photos of partially clothed pre-pubescent girls found at Epstein's mansion, court told

• Maxwell's 58-page rule book for staff at Epstein's mansion revealed

• Maxwell prosecution team opens trial with series of own goals

• Underage girls driven to Epstein's house on socialite's orders, jury hears

• Housekeeper recalls Maxwell bringing Prince Andrew to Florida mansion

• I wish I never received $5m from Epstein victims' fund, says accuser​

Jeffrey Epstein had photographs of partially clothed pre-pubescent girls on display at his Palm Beach mansion when it was raided by police in 2005.

The paedophile financier can be seen pulling down the underwear of a young goddaughter in one and pretending to “bite her bottom”, a New York court heard before proceedings started on day five of Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial.

In another photo, which was found on a wall outside his bedroom, a young girl is seen in just her underwear, the court heard.

Also found in Epstein’s home when it was raised in 2019 were a number of “small” schoolgirl outfits - described in court as “costumes”.

They were discovered in the same room as the sex toys allegedly used during Epstein’s massages.

Ms Maxwell, 59, has pleaded not guilty to eight counts of sex trafficking and other crimes, including two perjury charges that will be tried at a later date.

Prosecutors have accused Ms Maxwell of recruiting and grooming underage girls for Epstein, and say she participated in some of the encounters.

08:38 PM

Five key things heard today

Here are five key things we have heard during today's testimonies from Epstein's former housekeeper and the police officer who led the raid on his Florida mansion.

1. A “sexually suggestive photograph of a very young girl” was displayed outside Jeffrey Epstein’s bedroom at his sprawling 10-bedroom Palm Beach estate, prosecutors said.

2. “The fact that there is a sexualised photograph, of a clearly underaged female, is highly probative,” they added.

3. Photos showing Jeffrey Epstein alongside Pope John Paul II and former Cuban president Fidel Castro were also found in the 2005 police raid.

4. Juan Alessi, Epstein's former housekeeper, said he could not recall exactly when he met Jane, the first accuser to take the stand against Ghislaine Maxwell1, but said she appeared to be "14 or 15".

5. Mr Alessi, 71, rejected suggestions from Maxwell's lawyers she would have been above the age of consent at the time of the meeting.

08:08 PM

Photos of Epstein with Fidel Castro and Pope John Paul II found in Florida mansion

Epstein's Palm Beach mansion also contained photos of the billionaire paedophile with Pope John Paul II and late Cuban President Fidel Castro, a police officer has testified.

Gregory Parkinson, a police officer who led a 2005 raid on Epstein's home made the revelations as the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell entered its fifth day.

On the stand, Mr Parkinson was watching a video of the search, which was sealed from the public.

A former housekeeper of Epstein, Juan Alessi had also recalled photographs of the Pope and Castro.

Alessi's account came after Jane, now in her early 40s, testified that she had regular sexual contact with Epstein while she was a teenager and that Maxwell took part in some encounters.

Jane is the first of four Maxwell accusers expected to testify in the trial.

07:01 PM

Epstein's housekeeper claimed no women told him anything was wrong

A lawyer for Ms Maxwell sought to discredit Alessi by confronting him with a deposition from a civil case that the defence says was inconsistent with his trial testimony.

Alessi has claimed that none of the many young women who visited the Florida home alerted him to any misconduct.

"I wish they would have because I would have done something," he said.

06:21 PM

Epstein's former housekeeper leaves court

Juan Alessi, Jeffrey Epstein's former house manager has been pictured leaving courturing the fifth day of the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell.

Here are some of the key things we heard during Alessi's testimony.

1. Mr Alessi saw topless women lounging around the pool "hundreds of times" during his time working for Epstein. He estimated most of these women were in their 20s.

2. Mr Alessi was asked to pick up one of Ms Maxwell's alleged victims, who gave evidence under the pseudonym "Jane", from school.

3. Ms Maxwell allegedly told staff of the disgraced financier not to look in his eyes while they spoke to him.

06:08 PM

How Ghislaine Maxwell's body language is key part of her defence

Attempting to influence a jury from the defendants table has become something of an art form in the American legal system, writes Rozina Sabur

Read the full story here

05:52 PM

Police raid on Epstein estate to be shown in court

Jurors are expected to see a film released by the police showing the interior of a Florida estate where prosecutors say she and Epstein exploited underage victims.

The video was shot during a 2005 raid at the Palm Beach home, which was decorated with nude photos and paintings of young women.

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan have claimed is proof of a sexualised atmosphere encouraged by, Epstein's "partner in crime," Ms Maxwell.

Prosecutors have alleged the British socialite groomed teen girls by taking them on shopping trips and film outings talking to them about their lives and encouraging them to accept financial help from Epstein.

They also allege she helped to create a sexualised atmosphere by talking with the girls about sex and encouraging them to give Epstein massages.

A woman identified as "Jane" testified this week that she had sexual interactions with Epstein at age 14 with Maxwell in the room and sometimes participating.

05:33 PM

Watch: Ghislaine looking 'pretty well' in first meeting after 500 days, says brother

05:23 PM

Housekeeper denies suggestions he first met Jane when above age of consent

A former housekeeper for Jeffrey Epstein has denied suggestions from Maxwell's defence team that he could have first met Jane when she was of the age of consent.

Juan Alessi said on Thursday he met Jane in 1994, the same year Jane said she met Epstein and Maxwell and was first abused.

He said Jane appeared to be 14 or 15 when he first saw her at the Florida property.

But upon cross-examination by Jeffrey Pagliuca during the fifth day of testimony on Friday, Alessi said he could not recall precisely which year he met her in.

Pagliuca then asked whether Alessi met Jane in 1998 or 2000 - when she could have been of legal age to consent.

"No, that's not true," Alessi said.

Pagliuca then referred to a 2016 deposition Alessi gave to a lawyer for Virginia Giuffre, who accuses Maxwell and Epstein of trafficking her for sex while she was a teenager, in which Alessi said he recalled picking her up and driving her to Epstein's house in 1998 or 1999.

Alessi replied that he could have been confusing Jane and Giuffre in the deposition.

04:54 PM

Six key moments from the first week of the trial

Here are six key moments from the first week of the trial:

1. In their opening statements, prosecutors called Maxwell a predator who "preyed on vulnerable young girls, manipulated them, and served them up to be sexually abused".

2. Defence attorney Bobbi Sternheim countered that Maxwell was being scapegoated since Epstein is no longer alive. "The charges against Ghislaine Maxwell are for things that Jeffrey Epstein did, but she is not Jeffrey Epstein," he said.

3. Lawrence Visoski, Epstein's longtime personal pilot, testified that Prince Andrew and Donald Trump flew on Epstein's plane multiple times.

4. Jane, the first of four Maxwell accusers to take the stand, said the socialite showed her how Epstein liked to be massaged when she was just 14-years-old.

5. Jane also claimed Maxwell participated in their sexual encounters.

6. Juan Alessi, Epstein's housekeeper, said he was given a booklet of detailed instructions, warning him to keep Epstein's and Maxwell's activities or whereabouts secret.

04:31 PM

Maxwell defence team read out name of accuser

Lawyers for Ms Maxwell have read out the real name of one of the accusers testifying against the British socialite.

Judge Alison Nathan has admonished the lawyer.

04:22 PM

'Costumes' of schoolgirl outfits found in Epstein home

Also found in Epstein’s home when it was raised in 2019, were a number of “small” schoolgirl outfits - described in court as “costumes.”

They were discovered in the same room as the sex toys allegedly used during Epstein’s massages.

Defence lawyers acting for the British socialite tried to have these images struck off the evidence list, but were unsuccessful, indicating that they will be shown to the jury at some stage.

04:20 PM

Photos of partially clothed pre-pubescent girls found at Palm Beach mansion

Jeffrey Epstein had photographs of partially clothed pre-pubescent girls on display at his Palm Beach mansion police found when it was raided in 2005.

The paedophile financier can be seen pulling down the underwear of a young goddaughter in one and pretending to “bite her bottom,” a New York court heard before proceedings started on day five of Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial.

In another photo, on a wall outside his bedroom, is a photo of a young girl in just her underwear, the court heard.

03:48 PM

What are the charges against Ghislaine Maxwell?

03:33 PM

Ghislaine's brother and sister arrive at court

Ghislaine Maxwell's brother and sister, Kevin and Isabel have been pictured arriving at court in support of their accused sibiling.

Earlier this week Kevin Maxwell told reporters outside the courtroom he felt "tremendous relief" at seeing Ghislaine in more than 500 days.

Addressing the media outside the courtroom, on Tuesday he said Ms Maxwell was “looking pretty well, notwithstanding the conditions of detention, which are now the subject of a formal complaint to the United Nations committee on arbitrary detention.”

03:24 PM

Maxwell's defence said presenting rulebook to jurors would be 'offensive'

Ghislaine Maxwell's defence team objected yesterday to the employee manual being presented to court, claiming it “reflects a lifestyle that many jurors may find offensive.”

During jury selection, each prospective juror was asked if they held a bias towards wealthy people who had "luxurious lifestyles".

Our US correspondent Josie Ensor has more details below in a thread below:

03:21 PM

Virginia Guiffre looked '14 or 15,' housekeeper testified

Epstein's Palm Beach housekeeper testified on Thursday that Virginia Giuffre looked "14 or 15" when he first saw her with Ghislaine Maxwell at Trump's estate in Florida.

Epstein's pilot, had claimed earlier in the trial that Guiffre was like a "mature woman".

02:58 PM

Read the full list of rules below

Here are some of the key excerpts from the manual allegedly written by Ms Maxwell for staff at Epstein's mansion.

• When they received a compliment, according to the manual, they should reply: "You are very kind" "Thank, you, Ms ___ . I enjoy doing it."

• Ms Maxwell wrote that staff were not to speak to Epstein's guests, “except to answer a question direct to you. Respect their privacy.”

• Workers should also “try to anticipate the needs of Mr. Epstein, Ms. Maxwell and their guests."

You can read it in full below:

02:52 PM

The 58-page rule book for Epstein's employees revealed

Ghislaine Maxwell wrote a household manual for staff at Jeffrey Epstein’s Florida home, instructing employees to “see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing”, a former housekeeper revealed in testimony to a New York court on Thursday.

On the stand, Juan Alessi read from a 58-page document titled “Household Manual” that listed ground rules Ms Maxwell set for employees at the financier’s sprawling 10-bedroom Palm Beach mansion.

The 71-year-old former house manager, who worked for Epstein for over 10 years, testified that he believed that section of the manual constituted “a kind of a warning.”

“I was supposed to be blind and dumb,” said Mr Alessi, who gave evidence as a witness for the prosecution. “To say nothing of their lives.”

“There were many, many, many rules," he said, describing them as "degrading".