Ghislaine Maxwell trial: Defence starts case by attacking her accusers

Ghislaine Maxwell’s lawyers have started their defence by attacking the credibility of her accusers as they reveal why she won’t testify.

The trial of Ghislaine Maxwell has restarted after a three-day break as her lawyers started her defence by trying to poke holes in the credibility of her four accusers.

The day started with a blow to Ms Maxwell’s legal team when Judge Alison Nathan said “after careful consideration” she would not allow the defence to call three of its own witnesses, saying their testimony was “either not relevant” or it’s “duplicative information” obtained during cross-examination.

Laura A. Menninger (L) and Jeffrey S. Pagliuca (R) defence lawyers for Ghislaine Maxwell arrives at the Thurgood Marshall United States Courthousein New York.

The defence then went on to call its first witness Cimberly Espinosa, a one-time employee of Jeffrey Epstein.

Ms Espinosa, who was hired by Epstein in 1996 and worked as an executive assistant for Ms Maxwell, said she owed a lot to the British socialite.

“I attribute my career right now as an executive assistant to what I learned working for Ghislaine,” she said.

British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell and US financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Ms Espinosa said she learnt how to make seemingly impossible tasks a reality from Ms Maxwell.

“We even shipped in sand and palm trees and all kinds of things to get the island to what it wanted it to be … He wanted more sand on the beach,” she added.

Cimberly Espinosa said she had to transport sand and palm trees to Jeffrey Epstein's private estate on Little Saint James in the Virgin Islands.

Ms Espinosa, who said she booked massages for Epstein as well as Ms Maxwell, was asked about Ms Maxwell’s first accuser “Jane”.

She said “Jane” appeared to be 18 years old and that her mother said “Jane was Jeffrey’s goddaughter”.

“I thought it was a loving relationship,” she testified.

Christian Everdell defence lawyer for Ghislaine Maxwell arrives at the Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse in New York.

Lawyers for the British socialite, 59, stunningly claimed that she was “too fragile” to take the witness stand, according to her lawyers.

“Ghislaine Maxwell is unlikely to testify over serious worries she is too fragile and will not be able to acquit herself properly,” her spokesman said.

Her family has complained she is not being fed correctly while in prison.

“There are significant concerns about her health,” a friend said.

A general view shows the Metropolitan Detention Centre where Ghislaine Maxwell is being held, in Brooklyn, New York.

The defence has lined up 35 witnesses, including a false memory expert, to support her case at her trial in New York.

There are expected to take three days to put forward the defence.

Ms Maxwell denies six charges linked to Epstein’s sex trafficking ring.

The trial continues.