Highlights
- Two women came forward claiming to be victims named in the files
- Allegations relate to Surrey and Berkshire between the mid-1990s and 2000
- Surrey is the first British force to investigate allegations of sexual harm against women and girls in connection with Epstein
- British police warn charges may be difficult without unredacted documents from the US
SURREY POLICE has launched a criminal investigation into two allegations of child sexual abuse following the release of files by the US Department of Justice relating to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The force said one allegation relates to locations in Surrey and Berkshire between the mid-1990s and 2000, while the other concerns west Surrey in the mid to late 1980s. The Guardian reported that allegations relating to Berkshire are understood to concern the Windsor estate.
Two women came forward to say they were the victims of attacks in Britain detailed in the Epstein files, according to the Guardian. Child abuse specialists from the force's public protection team are leading the investigation.
In a statement, Surrey Police said: "Following the release of files relating to Jeffrey Epstein by the US Department of Justice, we are investigating two separate allegations of non-recent child sexual abuse. We take all reports of sexual offending seriously and will work to identify any reasonable lines of enquiry to verify information or establish corroborating evidence."
No arrests have been made, and no potential suspects have yet been interviewed.
Surrey is the third British police force to open a criminal investigation following revelations in the Epstein files, and the first to examine allegations of sexual harm against women and girls. The previous two investigations, by Thames Valley Police and the Metropolitan Police, concerned alleged offences against the state.
High-profile arrests
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Prince Andrew, and former cabinet minister Lord Peter Mandelson have been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office for allegedly passing Epstein sensitive information gathered as part of their official roles. Both deny any wrongdoing.
Six police forces are separately examining whether to open investigations into flights into the UK allegedly carrying trafficked women at Epstein's behest.
Prince Andrew, The Duke of York arrives for the Requiem Mass service for the Duchess of Kent, at Westminster Cathedral on September 16, 2025 in London, England. (Photo Aaron Chown - Pool/Getty Images)
Surrey Police first became aware of allegations after the Epstein files were released in December 2025. In February, the force appealed for information, saying it had found "no evidence of the Surrey-related allegations being reported to Surrey Police."
Several people came forward as a result, including the two women whose accounts prompted the criminal investigation now under way.
British police are concerned that prosecutors may be reluctant to bring charges without access to original, unredacted documents from the US. The Department of Justice has said it will not consider handing over the files without a formal request, which is a lengthy process.
The National Police Chiefs' Council has set up a national coordination group working with the National Crime Agency to support forces carrying out Epstein-related inquiries.
Epstein died in a New York prison cell on August 10, 2019, while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The DoJ has released more than 3.5 million pages of documents related to him and his associates.
(with inputs from Reuters)
