The family of teenage motorcyclist Harry Dunn and the alleged victims of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein have united to put pressure on Anne Sacoolas and the Duke of York to “co-operate with law enforcement”.
Lisa Bloom, lawyer for six alleged Epstein victims, and Radd Seiger, spokesman for the parents of Dunn, 19, joined forces on Wednesday to call for Sacoolas to return to the UK, and for Prince Andrew to face questioning by the FBI in the US.
Bloom’s clients, who are pursuing civil claims against the late financier and convicted sex offender’s estate, want Prince Andrew to face questioning over his friendship with Epstein.
At a New York press conference with Seiger, Bloom said the “parallels between the two cases are eerie” and involved “everyday teenagers” who were “victimised”.
“Today we stand with the family of Harry Dunn and they stand with us. Both Mrs Sacoolas and Prince Andrew must cooperate with law enforcement.
“I call upon my government, the US, to return Mrs Sacoolas to the UK to face justice”.
She said Andrew needed to “answer questions about Jeffrey Epstein and his own behaviour,” adding: “In both countries everyone is equal in the eyes of the law.”
Seiger said it was “terrible advice” for the prince and for Sacoolas if they were being advised that “it’s all going to go away” and they should just “wait it out”.
Last month, the New York state attorney, Geoffrey Berman, accused the prince of “zero cooperation” and not responding to requests by the FBI and US lawyers for an interview over his friendship with Epstein.
Andrew was later said to be “angry and bewildered” about the claims, with sources close to him saying he had not been approached to speak about the case.
Dunn was killed when his motorbike was in collision with a car outside a US military base in Northamptonshire in August. Sacoolas, 42, the wife of a US intelligence official based at RAF Croughton, claimed diplomatic immunity after the crash and was able to return to her home country, sparking an international controversy.
She was charged with causing the teenager’s death by dangerous driving, but the US has refused an extradition request.
Seiger said he had “reached out” to Bloom after realising “that there was a common thread running between these cases.”
He said: “It’s about evasion of justice.
“These are the two greatest allies in the world and they follow a rules-based system. No-one, no matter who you are … is above the law.
“We all break the rules from time to time but we don’t get to walk away and hide.”
In a message to Prince Andrew, Seiger said: “if you have nothing to hide, get on a plane …”, adding: “there’s no other way”.
Seiger said the lawyers were not calling for a “straight swap”, adding, “but at the heart of extradition treaties is reciprocity.”
The US government’s refusal to extradite Sacoolas was “legally indefensible” and “effectively ripping up the treaty,” he said.
Andrew, who stepped down from royal duties in November after his disastrous interview on BBC’s Newsnight programme over his relationship with Epstein, is reportedly “committed to the legal process”. At the time he stood down, he insisted: “I am willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency”.
Virginia Giuffre, who claims she was trafficked by Epstein, has alleged she was instructed to have sex with Andrew on three occasions from the age of 17. The prince categorically denies he had any form of sexual contact or relationship with her.
While a US investigation is looking at possible “conspirators” who worked with Epstein, Bloom’s alleged victims are involved in a separate civil lawsuit.
A source close to Andrew has previously been reported saying: “The duke is not under any obligation to talk to lawyers representing alleged victims of Epstein at the moment, but he is totally willing to talk to any law enforcement agencies, be they the police or FBI.”
Any FBI interview Andrew agrees to give would be voluntary at this stage, and could take place in the UK.