Defence secretary orders search for record of Epstein trafficking women through RAF bases

Defence Secretary John Healey has told officials to review military records to find any evidence of Jeffrey Epstein trafficking women into Britain through RAF bases.

He has told them to leave "no stone unturned" as they search through more than 20 years of Ministry of Defence (MoD) documents to find evidence of the paedophile billionaire's private jet landing at bases.

Private jets are allowed to land at military bases by prior arrangement, and for a fee, as long as they do not interfere with any operations.

Mr Healey's order comes after Gordon Brown last week claimed the British state may have facilitated Epstein's crimes by allowing his plane to land at RAF bases, sometimes with unknown women onboard.

The former prime minister noted one particular flight in December 2000, when Epstein's Gulfstream plane landed at a Norfolk airbase before he visited Sandringham with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

The former prince was arrested last week on suspicion of misconduct in public office after emails released by the US Department of Justice appeared to show he sent confidential information to Epstein from his time as a trade envoy.

He has always denied wrongdoing.

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An MoD spokesperson told Sky News: "The defence secretary has ordered a review of all records that the department may hold relating to Epstein flights landing at RAF bases to ensure that any information which relates to Epstein's crimes is uncovered and provided to the relevant authorities.

"The MoD will support any civilian police investigations.

"Our thoughts are with all the victims of Epstein's vile crimes."

Other emails from the latest tranche show Epstein flew into RAF Northolt in northwest London and RAF Marham in Norfolk at least four times between 2000 and 2019.

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Further flights, including passenger manifests, could be unearthed in the military records search.

It is understood officials will look through MoD emails to find any record of Epstein or his team booking RAF airfields.

The US administration has released details of Epstein's plane, which will be used to search for any records.

While RAF flight logs are deleted after three months, it is understood emails between MoD officials and private travellers are kept.

(c) Sky News 2026: Defence secretary orders search for record of Epstein trafficking women through RAF bases