Police accept Andrew search warrants were unlawful, court hears

Thames Valley Police has accepted that the search warrants it used to search Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's homes earlier this year were unlawful, the High Court has heard.

The force accepted that the information given to the Old Bailey about warrants relating to their decision to search the former Prince Andrew's Sandringham home and the Royal Lodge in Windsor was incorrect.

Andrew was arrested by Thames Valley Police in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He denies any wrongdoing.

The warrants were issued before his arrest and his lawyers are challenging their lawfulness.

They have used a judicial review to challenge the actions of the chief constable of the force and the Central Criminal Court.

His arrest in February arose after the US Department of Justice published documents which suggested he had forwarded confidential information to the convicted sex offender when Mountbatten-Windsor was a UK trade envoy in 2010.

He has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.

The court heard on Thursday that Thames Valley Police took possession of documents and electronic devices when they raided Andrew's homes.

The conditions for the warrants were that there had to be reasonable grounds for believing that any documents used for business or in a paid or unpaid role in which an undertaking of confidence had been given should not be seized.

Thames Valley Police now admits the judge who granted the warrants could not have been sure of this.