Judge finds police search of former Prince Andrew’s home unlawful

Police investigating former Prince Andrew's links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein unlawfully searched his homes, a London judge said Thursday.

Justice Nicholas Hilliard said significant errors were made by Thames Valley Police in applying for search warrants and by a judge in granting them in the investigation into the disgraced former prince now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

Mountbatten-Windsor was not in court, but he was already aware of the partial legal victory because police had previously conceded in July that the warrants were improper.

Police, however, had tried to keep the matter out of the public eye while the investigation continued, leading to a delay in its revelation.

Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested Feb. 19 on suspicion of misconduct in public office and police searched two of his homes.

His lawyers had asked the High Court judge to invalidate the warrants that allowed those searches.