Prince Andrew accuser was a 'fantasist' who spun 'tissue of lies', Ghislaine Maxwell told lawyers

Ghislaine Maxwell told lawyers that Prince Andrew accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre had spun a "tissue of lies" and was an "awful fantasist", according to newly-released documents.

The comments by the ex-girlfriend of paedophile Jeffrey Epstein appear in a 2016 interview transcript released on Thursday by a US judge.

Ms Roberts Giuffre has accused the prince of having sex with her when she was underage - claims he has strongly denied - and says Epstein kept her as a "sex slave" with Maxwell's assistance.

In her deposition, the 58-year-old was questioned about an alleged encounter between the pair in London in 2001 after they are said to have gone out clubbing.

The name is redacted, but the circumstances match Ms Roberts Giuffre's allegations about the prince.

"So did you ever introduce [redacted] to Virginia in London?" Maxwell is asked.

The former socialite - arrested in an FBI raid in July - said she had "no recollection" and also couldn't recall if Ms Giuffre stayed at her London home, or even whether she travelled on the plane to London.

It's been claimed a photo of Prince Andrew appearing to have his hand around Ms Roberts Giuffre's body - and standing next to Ms Maxwell - was taken in the house during the March 2001 trip.

The prince has admitted he is the person in the picture but that he has no "recollection of meeting her" - and also suggested in his Newsnight interview last year that the image may have been edited.

He famously added that he couldn't have been out clubbing on the night in question as he was in Pizza Express in Woking.

Ms Maxwell also says in the 400-plus pages of transcript that she has no memory of claims she took 17-year-old Ms Giuffre out shopping ahead of the alleged night out at Tramp nightclub.

She also tells lawyers she "cannot recall, as I have said, no" - when asked if she saw "[redacted] go into a room with Virginia alone in your town home".

Ms Maxwell also denied having three-way sex with Epstein and Ms Roberts Giuffre, and claimed she never saw any "inappropriate underage activities" or "Jeffrey having sex with a minor."

The 58-year-old faces up to 35 years in jail over allegations she recruited teenage girls for Epstein to sexually abuse in the 1990s.

The new documents relate to a 2016 civil lawsuit brought by Ms Roberts Giuffre, who sued Ms Maxwell for defamation after she called her a liar. The case was eventually settled.

Ms Maxwell's lawyers had argued that the documents should remain sealed in part to protect her right to a fair criminal trial, in which she has pleaded not guilty.

Prince Andrew has admitted his relationship with Epstein was badly judged, but in a statement last year "emphatically denied… any form of sexual contact or relationship with Virginia Roberts".