Surrey police launch investigation into UK Epstein abuse allegations

Surrey-police" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="130181" data-entity-type="organization">Surrey police have launched a criminal investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse after two women came forward to say they were the victims of attacks in Britain detailed in the Epstein files.The force said the claims dated back to the 1980s and 1990s, with one in Surrey and allegations concerning Berkshire understood to relate to the Windsor estate.The Surrey investigation is the first by British police relating to Epstein examining alleged harm against females.The force was understood to be searching for evidence to prove or disprove the claims and has interviewed the alleged victims.In a statement the Surrey force, which covers an area south of London, 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.“One report relates to locations in Surrey and Berkshire in the mid-1990s to 2000. The other relates to the mid- tolate-1980s in west Surrey.”It was understood that no potential suspects have yet been interviewed, and there have been no arrests.The force had been considering whether a full criminal investigation was needed for several months after material was published in the Epstein files in December 2025.In February the force appealed for witnesses, and said: “Following the US Department of Justice Epstein file release in December 2025, Surrey-police" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="130181" data-entity-type="organization">Surrey police became aware of a redacted report alleging non-recent human trafficking and sexual assaults on a minor in Virginia Water, Surrey, between 1994 and 1996.“After reviewing our systems using the limited information available to us, we found no evidence of the Surrey-related allegations being reported to Surrey-police" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="130181" data-entity-type="organization">Surrey police.”Publicity about the allegations led people to come forward and claim to have information. In February Surrey-police" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="130181" data-entity-type="organization">Surrey police said: “We have received several reports as a result [of the appeal for witnesses], which we are in the process of reviewing.”The Guardian understands that two of those reports were from women who said they were the victims mentioned in the Epstein files. After statements were taken Surrey-police" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="130181" data-entity-type="organization">Surrey police announced their criminal investigation.Child abuse specialists in the force’s public protection team are leading the investigation.Documents relating to Epstein, the disgraced financier and sex offender, and his associates have been published on the US Department of Justice (DoJ) website.Surrey are the third British police force criminally investigating after revelations in the Epstein files.It is the first British police criminal investigation into claims of sexual harm against females relating to Epstein, who is alleged to have trafficked women and girls to his powerful associates.The two criminal investigations so far have related to alleged offences against the state.The former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and former cabinet minister Peter Mandelson have been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office for allegedly handing Epstein sensitive information gathered as part of their official roles.Both deny any wrongdoing.King Charles’s brother is under investigation by Thames Valley police, and the former cabinet minister and former ambassador to Washington is under investigation by the Metropolitan police.Six forces are examining whether criminal investigations should be launched into flights coming into the UK, allegedly at the behest of Epstein, carrying trafficked women.British police fear that prosecutors will be reluctant to bring charges unless the Trump administration agrees to hand over original documents from the Epstein files.So far, redacted documents relating to Epstein and his associates have been published on the DoJ website.The DoJ, considered to be under Trump’s control, has told British police it would not consider handing over the original documents without a formal request. That is a bureaucratic and lengthy process.A national gold group hosted by the National Police Chiefs’ Council is coordinating British police efforts to investigate allegations in the Epstein files.