Secret deal over Ghislaine Maxwell’s ‘little black book’

Ghislaine Maxwell’s “little black book” of contacts — thought to include numbers for Prince Andrew and Donald Trump — will not be made public for one reason.

Ghislaine Maxwell’s “little black book” of contacts — thought to include numbers for Prince Andrew and Donald Trump — will not be made public, the defence and prosecution in her trial have agreed.

Judge Alison Nathan ruled at Manhattan federal court that only small parts of the directory would be released under seal.

The judge had previously said she wanted to avoid “needless” namedropping during the trial.

Ghislaine Maxwell is on trial in New York, accused of grooming underage girls to be exploited by her long-time partner Jeffrey Epstein, who killed himself in jail in 2019. Picture: AFP

Maxwell’s contact book is said to be a version of Jeffrey Epstein’s infamous 97-page book containing the names and addresses of almost 2,000 world leaders, celebrities and businessmen — including Prince Andrew, and former US presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton.

The decision not to include Maxwell’s contact book in court was made by both legal teams over the weekend and will be a major boost to her defence team.

Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Picture: AFP

It comes amid allegations Prince Andrew has claimed his sex assault accuser, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, has a “tendency to change her story” – as he fights to have her lawsuit against him dismissed.

An image of the pair that was shown court. Picture: AFP

According to a report in The Sun, lawyers for Prince Andrew clapped back at Giuffre, who alleges that the royal sexually assaulted her three times when she was 17.

Last month, lawyers for Giuffre accused the prince of “victim shaming” and using her to “gratify his own sexual desires”.

In response, Andrew Brettler, Prince Andrew’s lead lawyer, said Giuffre’s allegations were “vague” because she had given different versions of what happened to her.

He has asked a judge to throw out the Australian-based woman’s New York lawsuit against the royal.

Prince Andrew and Virginia Roberts Giuffre at Ghislaine Maxwell's townhouse in London in 2001. Picture: Florida Southern District Court

“Her complaint is ambiguous at best and unintelligible at worst,” Mr Brettler said.

“Giuffre’s refusal to include anything but the most conclusory allegations is puzzling given her pattern of disclosing to the media the purported details of the same allegations.

“Perhaps it is Giuffre’s tendency to change her story that prompted her to keep the allegations of the Complaint vague, so as not to commit to any specific account.”

However, Giuffre stood by her accusations, saying Prince Andrew “was an abuser, he was a participant”.

Prince Andrew with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson who could be called to testify in his civil trial. Picture: Getty Images

In September, her legal team confirmed that they had issued the Duke of York with a writ ahead of his pre-trial in New York due to start next month.

Royal sources claimed that it has left Prince Andrew “totally consumed” by the case as he last week told his US legal team to cancel their Christmas plans, vowing they must leave “no stone unturned.”

Prince Andrew is facing a lawsuit. Picture: Getty Images

Meanwhile, Giuffre’s lawyers hit out at Prince Andrew’s disastrous UK TV interview in 2019 – claiming that it was evidence of his “guilt”.

The Duke of York sparked fury with a legal filing in October that branded Giuffre a “money-hungry sex kitten” who was only suing him for “another payday”.

David Boies, Giuffre’s lawyer, then hit back in a court filing in New York opposing Prince Andrew’s motion to dismiss.

“During that interview, Prince Andrew said that he could not recall ever meeting Ms Giuffre, a denial so at odds with photographs and other evidence that it is itself indicative of guilt,” Mr Boies said.

Virginia Roberts Giuffre has accused Prince Andrew of sexual assault. Picture: Supplied

Prince Andrew famously claimed in the interview he was medically unable to perspire, a response to Giuffre’s account of an alleged sweaty dance in London.

And he claimed a photo of him with his arm round Giuffre – said to have been taken in Ghislaine Maxwell’s home – could have been doctored.

The British socialite – Jeffery Epstein’s former lover- currently remains on trial in New York and has been repeatedly accused of “serving up” girls to the late financier.

Amid a slew of fresh claims she allegedly brought young women to Epstein’s private island – described as littered with “hidden cameras.”

Prince Andrew – who was a friend of Epstein – is widely reported to have visited Little St James in the Caribbean where Giuffre claims that she was assaulted as a 17-year-old old.

The royal has strenuously denied any wrongdoing and strongly refuted the allegations made.

– with The Sun