The US lawyer acting for victims of the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has called for the Duke of York to answer questions under oath over claims he slept with a 17-year old.

Gloria Allred said it was right that someone accused of a crime - “whether a Prince or a pauper” - should be examined in court.

In a Newsnight interview being broadcast on Saturday evening Prince Andrew says he cannot remember ever meeting Virginia Roberts - who accuses him of having slept with her when she was just 17.

But Ms Allred said: “Rather than just going on television he, I think, would be well served to just say I’m willing to take the oath and appear at a deposition.

“It’s fine for him to do a television interview , but he’s not under oath when he does that.”

Ms Allred, who represent several of Epstein’s victims in their battle for compensation for their trauma, added: “He [Prince Andrew] could just decide to appear and I think that would be the best action that he could take. The case is a serious case and I think that he should take it seriously.

“I think that anyone who may have information that’s relevant to a civil case or a criminal case - whether that person is a prince or a pauper - should do what they can to assist in finding justice.”