Jeffrey Epstein victims are pressuring Prince Andrew to give evidence to the FBI after his pledge to help investigate his former friend

Youtube/BBC Newsnight

A still of Prince Andrew in the exclusive BBC Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis.

• Lawyers representing the alleged victims of Jeffrey Epstein spoke out urging Prince Andrew to offer information to law enforcement in the US about any evidence he may have against his former friend in regards to charges of sex trafficking. 
• The comments came after Prince Andrew announced he would step back from his royal duties on Wednesday.
• In a statement, the Duke of York said he is "willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required." 
• The FBI is investigating both Epstein's alleged crimes, and the circumstances of his death.
• Lisa Bloom and Gloria Allred, two lawyers representing a group of Epstein's alleged victims, urged the Duke of York to come forward voluntarily and offer any relevant information. 
• Bloom said: "It's great that he's stepping away from his royal duties but it's really not about that, it's about justice and accountability for the victims, so it's important that he says he's going to cooperate with law enforcement." 
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The lawyers of Jeffrey Epstein's alleged victims are pressuring Prince Andrew to give evidence to US law enforcement including the FBI after his pledge to help investigate his former friend. 

The comments came following an announcement from the Duke of York that he would be taking a step back from his royal duties for the "foreseeable future" in the wake of a car crash interview with the BBC.

In the statement he said: "I am willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required." 

Lisa Bloom, who represents a group of victims alleging sexual abuse and trafficking at the hands of Epstein said in an interview with the Telegraph that although it's "great" Prince Andrew is stepping down from his royal duties, he should actively cooperate with law enforcement and investigators. 

"It's great that he's stepping away from his royal duties but it's really not about that, it's about justice and accountability for the victims, so it's important that he says he's going to cooperate with law enforcement." 

Bloom urged the prince to turn over any evidence he might have on his former friend, including correspondence such as emails, texts and calendars. 

She also suggested that the prince's staff, who may have been around when the two met, should also offer relevant information. 

Gloria Allred, who represents another group of alleged victims of Epstein said Prince Andrew should contact US authorities "without conditions and without delay," according to the BBC.

Asked about what would happen if the prince does not voluntarily offer information Allred told the BBC that he may be asked to speak under oath in a criminal justice investigation into possible conspirators of Epstein, as well as in individual civil lawsuits made on behalf of Epstein's victims.

"I haven't made a determination yet as to ... whether we will need to take Prince Andrew's deposition. But I'm saying he should provide it in any civil case as well, where his testimony might be relevant," Allred told the BBC. 

In a BBC Newsnight interview on Saturday, Prince Andrew denied that he was close friends with Epstein but said he flew to the US and stayed with the convicted sex offender for four days in 2010 in order to tell him it was inappropriate for the two to be in contact. 

Bloom said Prince Andrew should answer questions from all the accusers' attorneys - in particular the attorney of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who alleges she was coerced into having sex with Prince Andrew on three separate occasions when she was 17. 

Giuffre has offered a very detailed account of one alleged encounter with the prince on March 10th 2001 where she claims she danced with him at Tramp nightclub in London before he had sex with her.

Guiffre publicly released a photograph of her and Prince Andrew where he has his arm around her waist, which she claims was taken at the house of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's alleged "fixer" and girlfriend at the time. 

Florida Southern District Court

Prince Andrew and Virginia Roberts Giuffre, along with Ghislaine Maxwell. This photo was included in an affidavit in which Giuffre alleged Prince Andrew directed her to have sex with him.

In the BBC interview Prince Andrew said he could not recall ever having met Guiffre and suggested that the photograph could be fake. 

• Read more:
• Prince Andrew is stepping back from public royal duties just days after his 'car-crash' interview about Jeffrey Epstein - watch the controversial TV appearance
• A victim of Jeffrey Epstein says Prince Andrew bought her vodka at a London club when she was 17 before having sex with her
• New details reveal the friendship between Epstein and Prince Andrew dissolved after the Duchess of York referred to Epstein as a pedophile