Andrew ARRESTED on 66th birthday over Epstein bombshells as cops raid Windsor & Sandringham homes

ANDREW has been arrested after cops today swooped on his Sandringham home.

The shamed ex-prince is being quizzed in custody on suspicion of misconduct in a public office.

Cops are now raiding other royal residences in Windsor and Norfolk.

This morning, at least six unmarked Thames Valley Police cars swooped on Wood Farm on Andrew’s 66th birthday. An hour later, cops revealed he was arrested.

The force previously said it was reviewing claims Andrew allegedly shared sensitive information with his paedo pal Jeffrey Epstein while serving as the UK’s trade envoy.

Cops also confirmed at the time that the force was separately probing allegations a woman was trafficked to the UK by Epstein to have a sexual encounter with Andrew.

Andrew has consistently and vehemently denied wrongdoing.
Police said in a bombshell update today: “As part of the investigation, we have today (19/2) arrested a man in his sixties from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office and are carrying out searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk.

“The man remains in police custody at this time.”

Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright added: “Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office.

“It is important that we protect the integrity and objectivity of our investigation as we work with our partners to investigate this alleged offence.

“We understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time.”

Norfolk Constabulary said it is “supporting a Thames Valley Police investigation into misconduct in a public office”.

Misconduct in public office is a serious offence and carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Dal Babu, former Metropolitan Police Chief Superintendent, said pressure has been “growing and growing” over the case.

He told the BBC police will be able “to access computer equipment, files, photographs, any other evidence” now that Andy has been arrested.

Andrew has been living at Wood Farm for almost three weeks and has only been spotted once, last Thursday.

Workmen are currently renovating his future home Marsh Farm – where he is expected move in April – and were recently seen putting up a security fence and installing Sky.

Earlier today, Keir Starmer appeared on BBC Breakfast and called on Andy to testify.

The PM said: “Anybody who has any information should testify.

“So whether it’s Andrew or anybody else, anybody who has got relevant information should come forward to whatever the relevant body is, in this particular case we’re talking about Epstein, but there are plenty of other cases.

“Anybody who has got information relating to any aspect of violence against women and girls has, in my view, a duty to come forward, whoever they are.”

It comes after we reported how Essex Police, the Metropolitan Police, Surrey, Thames Valley, Norfolk and Bedfordshire Police are all assessing evidence within the files’ three million pages.

Their checks include up to 90 flights into Stansted’s private terminal by the jet owned by Andrew’s paedo pal.

Of those, 15 were after the US financier was jailed in 2008 for soliciting underage sex.

Essex Police are examining flight logs and emails.

Meanwhile Wiltshire Police are said to be assisting the Met’s investigation into disgraced peer Peter Mandelson.

Cops also raided two properties linked to Mandelson — one in London and another in Wiltshire.

Surrey Police are seeking access to unredacted files relating to a child abuse claim against Andrew and Epstein’s jailed lover Ghislaine Maxwell.

The allegation was contained in an FBI report written in July 2020 and included in the Epstein files.

Bedfordshire Police are understood to be looking at Luton flights.

Norfolk Police previously said they had not received allegations but were reviewing documents in the files “to ensure that all relevant information has been properly assessed”.

Meanwhile, the Met Police said they were in contact with the FBI as part of their Mandelson investigation in a bid to obtain unredacted documents.

Britain’s FBI, the National Crime Agency, has been drafted in to provide specialist support including helping UK cops “seek information from overseas law enforcement agencies through approved channels”.

Royal outcast Andrew allegedly passed confidential files to Epstein regarding four trips he made as a UK trade envoy in November 2010.

“Confidential” docs on the proposed reconstruction of Helmand Province in Afghanistan were also reportedly forwarded on Christmas Eve in 2010.

Under official guidance, envoys have a duty of confidentiality over sensitive, commercial, or political information about official visits.

Trade envoys like Andrew, who quit the taxpayer-funded job in 2011 over his links to Epstein, are bound by the Official Secrets Act.