US: Former Harvard law professor rebuts claims he had sex with underage girl in Epstein case

Alan Dershowitz, 76, has said he can prove he never had sex with Virginia Roberts while she was under the age of consent on an island owned by billionaire Jeffrey Epstein or on Mr Epstein’s ranch in New Mexico, or on his private jet.

The filing of legal documents at a court in Florida will add pressure to Prince Andrew who is also accused of having sex with Ms Roberts on the island in addition to Mr Epstein’s mansion in New York as well as in a house in London.

Ms Roberts’ lawyers argue she was made a “sex slave” when she was 15 and said they want the duke to provide a sworn statement in relation to the allegations as well as his knowledge of Mr Epstein’s historical abuse of young girls.

In papers filed recently, Ms Roberts said she was made by Mr Epstein to have sex with Mr Dershowitz on “numerous occasions when she was a minor”.

In addition, she added she was “an eyewitness to the sexual abuse of many other minors by Epstein and several of Epstein’s co-conspirators”.

Mr Dershowitz’s legal declaration provides: “Never under any circumstances have I had any sexual contact of any kind, which includes massages or any physical contact .”

He stated Ms Roberts’ claim was a “deliberate lie” and that he had been with his wife and daughter on the specified date and had had dinner with Mr Epstein that evening as well as a Harvard colleague and his family.

Mr Dershowitz added: “We do not recall seeing any young women during our entire visit to the island.”

He also said he went to the New Mexico property once while it was being built but that there were “no young girls visible at any time”.

He added he was on Mr Epstein’s private jet a number of times but was accompanied by relatives or members of Mr Epstein’s legal team.

As for the duke, a royal source said he is considering legal options but that the he is unlikely to issue a similar rebuttal.

The source said: “He is looking at a series of options but it is clear that Mr Dershowitz is in a very different position given who he is and where he is.”