Former Prince Andrew asks London court to throw out police search warrants

UPDATE - follow-up to Ex-prince Andrew asks to 'quash' Epstein affair search warrants: U.K. judiciary: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has launched a High Court challenge to quash search warrants used by Thames Valley Police before his arrest earlier this year. The 66-year-old royal is challenging the searches of his former and current homes on royal estates in Windsor and Sandringham.

Court Hearing

The U.K. judiciary confirmed that a private hearing will take place on Thursday in London. The legal team wants to check if the search warrants granted by a judge at the Central Criminal Court, also known as the Old Bailey, were lawful. If the court throws out the warrants, prosecutors could lose any evidence found during those searches.

Background

Police arrested Andrew on his birthday, February 19, on suspicion of misconduct in public office over his links to the late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He was released after hours of questioning but remains under investigation, and he has denied all wrongdoing. The probe follows new documents released by the U.S. this year, including 2010 emails where Andrew appeared to share confidential reports on his Asian country visits with Epstein. According to CBS News - World, The Daily Telegraph noted this is the first time a British royal family member has challenged the lawfulness of criminal proceedings against them since the trial of Charles I in 1649.

Context

Legal reviews of search warrants allow courts to check if police followed proper rules when gathering evidence. High-profile legal challenges often take time to move through the courts before any trial begins.