Ghislaine Maxwell's youngest alleged victim 'flew with Prince Andrew on Epstein's jet'

ITV News US Correspondent Emma Murphy has the latest details from the court room in New York

Ghislaine Maxwell's youngest alleged victim has told her sex trafficking trial she flew with Prince Andrew on disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein's private jet when she was a teenager.

The defence attempted to discredit allegations of graphic, repeated sexual abuse the accuser - giving evidence under the pseudonym Jane - said she suffered at the hands of Maxwell and her one-time boyfriend Epstein when she was 14-years-old.

On her second day of giving evidence at a US federal court in New York, Jane told jurors she does "not believe I have come up with a memory" of being sexually abused by Maxwell.

Maxwell, 59, who was described as “dangerous” during the opening statements of the trial, is accused of preying on vulnerable young girls and luring them to massage rooms to be molested by convicted paedophile Epstein between 1994 and 2004.

The British socialite has pleaded not guilty to all six charges she faces.

Prince Andrew was friends with Ghislaine Maxwell for many years and he also had a friendship with Jeffrey Epstein that he terminated in 2010.

The Duke of York has always categorically denied any wrongdoing and claims made by Epstein victim Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who says she was trafficked to London to have sex with the prince.

What has the court heard on the third day of the trial so far?

On Wednesday, the Duke of York was dragged into the sex trafficking trial for the second day in a row as Jane recalled flying with Prince Andrew on Epstein's private jet, the so-called "Lolita Express".

Jane, now in her 40s, also told the court Epstein took her in a dark green car to be introduced to former president Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort when she was 14.

She said she had again associated with Mr Trump at a beauty pageant, for which Epstein had given her $2,000 (£1,500) to buy a dress.

Defence counsel Laura Menninger asked if she had cried about only being given $2,000 dollars, Jane replied: “That’s ridiculous, I wouldn’t do that.”

Ms Menninger asked shortly after: “You claim there was a photo of you on Epstein’s desk and you were wearing a bathing suit, correct?”

“Correct,” Jane replied.

Maxwell's lawyers attempted to bring out contradictions made by Jane - the prosecution's key witness - in statements to authorities more than two years ago and accused her of inventing the memory of her first meeting with the British socialite.

Jane had told the court on Tuesday she had been summoned to an orgy by Maxwell and Epstein at the age of 14, which had left her “frozen with fear”.

She also told jurors Epstein used sex toys on her “even though it hurt”, and he and Maxwell fondled each other while “casually giggling” in front of the teenager.

Jane said she did not tell anybody about the alleged abuse at the time because she was “terrified” and “felt gross and ashamed”.

Maxwell's lawyer Ms Menninger said on Wednesday: “It is true that you do not recall Ghislaine ever touching you.”

“That’s not true,” Jane replied.

Ms Menninger said: “You spoke to the government in December 2019 with your lawyers there and you told them at that time that you were not sure whether Maxwell ever touched you during these encounters.”

“I don’t recall,” the witness replied.

“You told the government you were not sure if Ghislaine ever kissed you,” said Ms Menninger. “I don’t recall," replied Jane.

Ms Menninger pressed: “You told the government you had no memory of Ghislaine being present when you claim Epstein engaged in any sexual contact, correct?”

“I don’t recall,” repeated Jane.

“As you sit here today, you are not sure you were ever alone in a room with Ghislaine and Epstein, correct?” asked the defence, to which Jane replied: "No."

Asked if she had come up with a memory of Maxwell being involved in any sexual encounters, Jane said: “I don’t believe I have come up with a memory, no.”

ITV News asks Ghislaine Maxwell's siblings how it felt to see their sister in court:

Before day three of her trial, Maxwell entered the courtroom and nodded at her sister Isabel and brother Kevin, sitting in the front row of the public gallery.

Wearing a charcoal grey jumper and a black face mask, she had separate conversations with both siblings as they leaned over the bench in front of them.

Maxwell embraced her counsel a number of times before the beginning of the court session, and took a number of sips from her water bottle.

Kevin Maxwell spoke to reporters outside the hearing on Wednesday and said she is “looking pretty well, notwithstanding the conditions of detention”.

He said his sister's treatment was the subject of a formal complaint to the United Nations.

Another of the defendant’s brothers, Ian Maxwell, said his sister has been in “effective isolation” at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn.

What charges does Maxwell face?

The full indictment against her lists six charges: conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts; enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts; conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity; transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity; sex trafficking conspiracy; and sex trafficking of a minor.

The defendant is further alleged to have lied under oath by hiding her participation in Epstein’s offences during a separate civil case.

Maxwell, who has been held in a US jail since her arrest in July last year, denies all charges.

She holds British, US and French citizenships and was repeatedly denied bail in the run-up to her trial.

The trial continues.