Surrey Police has announced it is investigating two separate allegations of non-recent child sexual abuse following the recent US release of documents pertaining to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The force stated that one of the allegations relates to incidents that occurred in Surrey and Berkshire between the mid-1990s and the year 2000. The second allegation concerns events in west Surrey during the mid to late 1980s. As of the announcement, no arrests have been made in connection with either inquiry.

In a statement, Surrey Police emphasized its commitment to taking all reports of sexual offending seriously. The force indicated it would diligently pursue all reasonable lines of enquiry to verify information or establish corroborating evidence. This development follows a similar statement in February, where Surrey Police sought information regarding an allegation of human trafficking and sexual assault dating back to the mid-1990s, noting at the time that no evidence of these allegations having been reported to them had been found.

The investigations are being conducted in the context of the extensive release of over 3.5 million pages of documents by the US Department of Justice related to Jeffrey Epstein, who died in a New York prison cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. It is important to note that the mere appearance of an individual in these documents does not imply any wrongdoing, and many individuals featured in past releases have denied any such implications.

Nationally, the National Police Chiefs' Council has established a coordination group working with the National Crime Agency to assist UK police forces that are reviewing Epstein-related allegations. Several forces, including Norfolk Constabulary and Police Scotland, have confirmed they are assessing whether to launch their own investigations. Police Scotland has since stated there is no active investigation concerning Epstein's jet using Edinburgh Airport.

These Surrey Police investigations are occurring alongside separate inquiries by other UK forces. Thames Valley Police and the Metropolitan Police have previously arrested individuals in relation to claims emerging from the Epstein files, although these arrests were for alleged misconduct in public office, not directly for offenses related to Epstein himself.

Epstein was convicted more than a decade before his death for soliciting prostitution from a minor, which required him to register as a sex offender. The charges he faced at the time of his death involved the alleged operation of a vast network to exploit underage girls for sex. He had pleaded not guilty to these charges.

The specific details of the non-recent child sexual abuse allegations being investigated by Surrey Police have not been further elaborated upon, but the force's commitment to thorough investigation underscores the gravity with which such reports are treated.