Scotland Yard launched a renewed inquiry into Jeffrey Epstein trafficking claims three months ago, only to discover critical flight records have reportedly been permanently erased.
Investigators are probing whether young victims arrived in Britain aboard the paedophile financier's private plane, landing at both civilian airports and military airbases including RAF Northolt in west London — the historic Ruislip facility that played a crucial defensive role in the Battle of Britain.
Gordon Brown has demanded six police forces, including the Met, examine whether Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor leveraged RAF infrastructure for trips that may have involved Epstein.
Many of the suspect journeys occurred up to 20 years ago, yet RAF protocol mandates passenger manifests be shredded after a mere three-month window, according to reports which say air traffic control documentation listing aircraft identification codes and radio frequencies survives only two years before deletion.
Britain's commercial carriers keep equivalent records for approximately six to seven years, the Civil Aviation Authority confirmed.
Detectives have access to the Epstein files — thousands of pages released by America's Department of Justice containing flight logs and passenger lists — but gaps riddle the archive, leaving numerous journeys partially documented.
Questioning airport workers and aviation officials may yield fresh leads, though the systematic destruction of records will severely hamper attempts to confirm exactly who entered the country and on what dates.
Andrew was taken into custody by Thames Valley police on Thursday facing separate misconduct in public office charges, allegedly leaking sensitive government information to Epstein while serving as trade envoy. The development has plunged the monarchy into turmoil not witnessed since the abdication crisis of the 1930's.
The Prince of Wales referenced the upheaval obliquely while attending Sunday night's Bafta ceremony with his wife, remarking he was "not in a calm state". Neither he nor the Princess of Wales addressed the scandal directly.
Nine different police forces are currently weighing Epstein-related allegations, including widespread claims he smuggled exploited minors through UK territory, reported the Times.
Former prime minister Gordon Brown has slammed law enforcement for inadequate investigation of historical abuse claims and demanded Andrew submit to police interview.
Brown contends the Met — which declined to mount a comprehensive Epstein probe in 2015 — must revisit that choice after emails emerged showing British girls featured on manifests for flights organised from UK airports using his private Boeing 727, infamously nicknamed the "Lolita Express".
Last week the former Labour leader sent a detailed five-page memorandum to constabularies covering London, Surrey, Sussex, Thames Valley, Norfolk and Bedfordshire.
The Telegraph reported the former prime minister was concerned that Andrew had used chartered RAF flights to transport him to personal engagements that could have involved Epstein.
Press reports indicate Brown also pressed authorities to determine whether Epstein secured clearance to access military installations.
According to the Times, the Met acknowledged on Friday it had received information suggesting London's airports facilitated trafficking and was reviewing the material.
Communications buried in the Epstein archive reveal Scotland Yard reached out to the Federal Bureau of Investigation last November requesting current intelligence.
One detective told the Times he was revisiting trafficking accusations and needed documentation showing which airports Epstein's aircraft used for UK visits and who accompanied him.
RAF Northolt — a dual-use facility handling military sorties and civilian charters that the royal family frequently employs — surfaces repeatedly in the Epstein papers. An Epstein-connected private jet touched down at the base on March 18, 2013, arriving from Paris-Le Bourget before continuing to Teterboro, New Jersey, 24 hours later.
Aviation logs confirm Northolt and other defence installations welcomed Epstein's aircraft, though the bulk of his British arrivals came through commercial hubs like Stansted, where the American bragged about undercutting Parisian landing fees.
Last year the BBC uncovered evidence of approximately 90 Epstein-associated flights using British airports spanning the early 1990s through 2018. Passenger rosters listed three UK women allegedly subjected to trafficking.
The Met is anticipated to scrutinise private aviation documentation at Heathrow searching for Epstein connections.
Graham Wettone, a former Met officer, spoke to the Times: "My understanding is that there is a VIP suite at Heathrow which has a dedicated police team. As a port of entry and exit, there's a responsibility to document everyone who passes through."
Standard police procedure involves retaining most paperwork for seven years, Wettone noted, with certain files preserved indefinitely if cited in legal proceedings.
Wettone, a policing commentator, said the apparent destruction of RAF and commercial flight records "isn't helpful" for the Met's investigation.
He said: "These documents would allow the Met to easily see who was on the flight, its departure time and its return time. If they do not have these records, it's difficult to prove."
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: "It is standard practice for spare capacity at RAF airfields in the UK to be used for private or commercial aircraft, subject to regulatory requirements and fees which cover all costs.
"Such use is not automatic and will only be approved when there is no adverse impact to military aircraft and where approval would not interfere with the security or smooth running of the airfield."
