Miss Roberts has been a running feature of the case, having flown 32 times on Epstein’s ‘Lolita Express’ private jet with the multi-millionaire financier and Maxwell, as well as recruiting schoolgirl Carolyn for alleged abuse, jurors heard. Yet neither side has called the 38-year-old as a witness.
The prosecution did not explain why it had not done so, although it might have feared that inconsistencies which have emerged over the years in her well-publicised story might not have been helpful.
And if the defence had called Miss Roberts, who blames Maxwell for ruining her life, it could have been disastrous. In a hearing on Saturday, prosecutors taunted Maxwell’s defence lawyers by saying they could have invited Miss Roberts to take the stand but had chosen not to.
Andrew Rohrbach said: ‘The most obvious witness who was available to both sides and who we expect the defence to comment on is Virginia Roberts, who was described as a victim but did not testify and she was fully available to the defendants. They did not call her.’
