Fergie admits 'gigantic error of judgment' after accepting £15,000 from billionaire paedophile to clear her debts



'First-rate' ex-husband had also 'made errors of judgment but nothing substantive has been done wrong by him, ever'

'I am debt-free and will repay the money when I can'



The Duchess of York has today admitted to a 'gigantic error of judgment' after accepting £15,000 from convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Sarah Ferguson said she had made another big mistake in her life after the money was paid by the billionaire convicted paedophile to help her pay off her debts.

'I personally, on behalf of myself, deeply regret that Jeffrey Epstein became involved in any way with me,' she said.

Scroll down for video



'Error': Sarah Ferguson admitted taking the cash from billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein to pay off some of her debts but has now agreed to repay the £15,000 he leant her



'I abhor paedophilia and any sexual abuse of children and know that this was a gigantic error of judgment on my behalf,' she told the editor of the Evening Standard Geordie Greig.



'I am just so contrite I cannot say. Whenever I can I will repay the money and will have nothing ever to do with Jeffrey Epstein ever again.'

She made her comments as criticism of Prince Andrew's close relationship with billionaire paedophile Epstein grew.

Today, the duke visited CrossRail headquarters in Canary Wharf, London, before smiling his way through a visit to an east London primary school.

This morning he received David Cameron's backing through a Downing Street spokesman.

Positive outlook: Prince Andrew, pictured Little Ilford Primary School in east London today, has been the subject of criticism over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein

He said: ' The Prime Minister thinks he is doing an important job and is making a major contribution and he is supportive of him in that role.



'We are not reviewing that role in any way. The Government's position is very clear: that we support him in his role as trade envoy.'

However, Business Secretary Vince Cable was more ambiguous about the prince's role.

He said: ' He is a volunteer, he has offered to perform these roles, and I think it is down to him essentially to judge the position he wants to be in.

'Obviously there are conversations that will take place with him about what he is to do in future. That is simply a matter of managing the relationship.'

Trying times: The duke leaves the CrossRail headquarters in Canary Wharf, London

In her interview, the Duchess also strongly defended the Duke of York over his links with Epstein describing her former husband as a 'first rate' man and a 'first rate' father who has worked 'tirelessly' for his country.

'The duke is a man who does not know how to tell an untruth or behave dishonourably. There have been errors of judgment but nothing substantive has been done wrong by him, ever,' she told the newspaper.



The money from Epstein was paid to Sarah Ferguson's former assistant, Johnny O'Sullivan, who was claiming £78,000 in unpaid wages and other bills.

Happier times: The duchess said her former husband was a 'first rate' man who worked 'tirelessly' for his country

Epstein is said to have stepped in after discussing the affair with Andrew's office and dealt directly with Mr O'Sullivan, who accepted £15,000 which then allowed a wider restructuring of Sarah's £5m debts to take place.

The financier had personally offered to help the duchess as he knew that Mr O'Sullivan was insisting his money was paid in full, which meant the rest of the debt could not be restructured.

Virginia Roberts, who worked for Jeffrey Epstein, photographed with Prince Andrew in early 2001

Epstein did not speak directly to the duchess about the payment but through the duke's office and then directly with Mr O'Sullivan, it was reported.



The Duchess of York told the newspaper: 'The duke sorted out my debts and he and his office have been more than marvellous.'

She added: 'Once again my errors have compounded and rebounded and also inadvertently impacted on the man I admire most in the world, the duke.



'He has supported me and come to my rescue again and again and there is absolutely nothing that I would not do for him.

'This make it even more painful for me that what happened has been used by people to make his life more difficult.

'I would throw myself under a bus for him. It is in times of difficulty that character shows itself. I am fiery Irish redhead and I am to remain strong, fight strong and try to do what is right.

'The duke is a man who does not know how to tell an untruth or behave dishonourably. There have been errors of judgment but nothing substantive has been done wrong by him, ever.



'I have made another huge error in my life in order to get debt free but the duke and I are a united front on all that has happened over the last few days.



'He, my girls and I are a unit who will always stick together even though we live separate lives.'

There is no suggestion that the duke had sexual contact with the girls involved or that he was aware of Epstein's activities, even though a picture emerged of the duke embracing one of Epstein's employees, the then 17-year-old Virginia Roberts, a masseuse.

