Prince Andrew was ‘too big’ for bathtub sex with Epstein victim, lawyer claimed

A bathtub in which it was claimed Prince Andrew had sex with an underage woman was too small for a man of his size “to enjoy a bath in, let alone sex,” defence lawyers have claimed.

The argument, previously made by representatives of Ghislaine Maxwell and her supporters, resurfaced on Monday, in the latest batch of unsealed documents detailing associates of the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Attorney Phillip Barden recalled the claims in his testimony, saying that it was an example of “obvious lies” told by Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s alleged victims.

Ms Giuffre also accused the former Duke of York of sexually assaulting her. Andrew has strenuously denied all wrongdoing.

In extracts made public on Monday, Mr Barden testified: “I recall that prior to the December 2014 filing of the joinder motion and the subsequent press reports that Ms Guiffre clearly stated she had not had sex with Prince Andrew.

“Yet in her joinder motion she claimed she did have sex with Prince Andrew and that the sex occurred in what can only be described as a very small bathtub, too small for a man of Prince Andrew’s size to enjoy a bath in, let alone sex.

“So as of December 2014 it was clear Ms Guiffre had made polar opposite statements. She was either lying when she said they did not have sex or when she said they did.”

Associates of Maxwell previously went further to prove that the bathtub allegation was false, releasing a photograph in which two people attempted to demonstrate the dimensions of the tub.

The image showed the bath in which the duke was alleged to have engaged in sexual activity with Ms Giuffre. Two people, believed to be acquaintances of Maxwell, sat in the bath, fully clothed, wearing makeshift masks depicting the duke and Ms Giuffre.

The photograph was released after it emerged that Andrew hoped to overturn the multi-million-pound settlement he struck with Ms Giuffre in February 2022.

In other extracts released on Monday, debunked allegations about sex tapes involving Andrew, former president Bill Clinton and Richard Branson were also brought out.

In emails sent by Epstein victim Sarah Ransome – sections of which were included as exhibits in one of the filings – she said that an unnamed friend “had sexual intercourse with Clinton, Prince Andrew and Richard Branson” and that these encounters had been filmed by Epstein.

Those claims were debunked in a 2019 New Yorker article in which Ms Ransome admitted that she “invented the tapes to draw attention to Epstein’s behaviour, and to make him believe that she had “evidence that would come out if he harmed me.”

A Virgin Group spokesperson said: “We categorically reject all allegations made by Sarah Ransome. In 2016, Ms Ransome retracted her claims and then in 2019 after settling her claims with Epstein and Maxwell, she also admitted to The New Yorker that the “tapes” had been “invented”. The allegations are baseless and unfounded.

“The actions of Jeffrey Epstein were abhorrent and we support the right to justice for the many victims impacted by his abuse.”