Ex-prince Andrew search warrants quashed after police accept legal error

British police on ​Thursday said that search warrants ​it secured to ‌search properties ​linked to King Charles' younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor had been incorrectly granted and must be ‌quashed.

King Charles' younger brother was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office in February and searches carried out at properties in Sandringham, ‌eastern England, and Windsor. However, Mountbatten-Windsor applied for the search warrants to ‌be quashed and Thames Valley Police said it accepted that they had not been properly granted.

"We accept the position that the initial court's decision to issue ⁠warrants ​under the ⁠specific piece of legislation used was incorrect and therefore these must be legally quashed," ⁠a Thames Valley Police spokesperson said. "Legal proceedings are currently ongoing to decide ​how material seized during the searches will be managed and ⁠whether we can lawfully retain it in support of our ongoing investigation."

It said its ⁠criminal ​investigation which began after the release of millions of documents by the US Department of Justice relating to the late US ⁠sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was still ongoing. Andrew, the second son of the ⁠late Queen ⁠Elizabeth, has denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein and said he regrets their friendship.