August M
Allegations of misconduct in public office involving Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor are being examined to determine whether they meet the legal bar for a criminal case.
In UK law, the offence applies when a public official is accused of deliberately abusing their position or failing in their duties to a degree considered serious enough to warrant prosecution. Establishing that threshold requires careful legal analysis, reports The Express.
What assessment means
Before launching a formal criminal investigation, police carry out an assessment phase. During this process, available evidence is reviewed to decide whether there are reasonable grounds to suspect an offence.
This stage is preliminary and focuses on evaluating material and consulting prosecutors where appropriate. It does not in itself indicate that charges are being pursued.
Police statement
According to reporting by The Express, Thames Valley Police is leading the current review and has been in contact with the Crown Prosecution Service.
Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said: “We can confirm today 11/2 that Thames Valley Police is leading the ongoing assessment of allegations relating to misconduct in public office. This specifically relates to documents within the United States Department of Justice’s Epstein Files.
“As part of this assessment, we have engaged in discussions with Specialist Crown Prosecutors from the CPS. We will provide updates as and when they are available, but at this stage it would be inappropriate to discuss further specifics of this work.”
He added: “During an assessment phase, information is evaluated to determine whether a criminal offence is suspected and whether a full investigation is required.
“Allegations of misconduct in public office involve particular complexities, and therefore an assessment must be conducted carefully and thoroughly.
“While we cannot provide timescales over when a decision as to whether a criminal investigation will be opened, we can assure you that Thames Valley Police is making progress as quickly as possible.”
Royal response
The Express reported that the review relates to documents released by the US Department of Justice.
On Monday, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said King Charles is prepared to assist police as they consider the allegations concerning his brother.
Sources: The Express
