US judge directions a setback for Prince Andrew in sexual assault case

A US judge has asked UK Prince Andrew's lawyer to hand over documents related to the sexual assault case against him. This is being considered as a development that is likely to put pressure on the Prince to settle. Prince Andrew is currently facing a civil lawsuit filed against him by Virginia Roberts Giuffre (38) who says Prince Andrew sexually assaulted her in 2001 when she was 17-years old.

The judge also rejected Prince Andrew's lawyer's request to quash the lawsuit by raising jurisdictional argument. Giuffre has been staying in Australia with her husband and kids.

Prince Andrew's situation has also become shaky due to his closeness with Ghislaine Maxwell, who has been found guilty of sex trafficking involving underage girls.

Jurors deliberated for five full days before finding Maxwell guilty of five of six counts. She faces up to 65 years in prison.

Maxwell, 60, faced charges of sex trafficking and conspiracy to entice Jeffrey Epstein's victims. The trial lasted almost a month in federal court in Manhattan, and included testimony from four women who alleged that Maxwell recruited them into having sex with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s.

according to legal analyst Mitchell Epner, she is likely to get between 20 and 25 years.

"Given that Maxwell is currently 60 years old, that is essentially death by incarceration," he said.

Maxwell's trial was widely seen as the reckoning Epstein never had and one of the highest-profile cases in the wake of the #MeToo movement, which encouraged women to speak out about sexual abuse by famous and powerful people.

(With inputs from agencies)