Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has won his legal challenge against Thames Valley Police concerning search warrants that resulted in his arrest. Mr Justice Hilliard, sitting at the High Court in central London, ruled on Thursday that the warrants were unlawful.
Thames Valley Police conceded that the search powers were obtained under an incorrect statutory provision. The warrants, issued by the recorder of London, Mark Lucraft KC, at the Old Bailey, led to Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest on 19 February on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
The arrest followed information from the Jeffrey Epstein files, alleging that Mountbatten-Windsor shared sensitive information with Epstein when he was the UK's trade envoy. Police began searching his residence on the Sandringham estate and Royal Lodge on the day of his arrest.
While the search warrants have been quashed, police have made an application to retain the seized property. This application, which will be heard next year, is based on the argument that the property could have been lawfully seized under a different statutory provision. Mr Justice Hilliard stated that the quashing of the warrants does not end the investigation.