Epstein called pal Mandelson 'Petie'

FORMER Cabinet minister Lord Peter Mandelson was called "Petie" by paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, evidence filed to court shows.

- Robert Kellaway

The then Labour Business Secretary stayed at Epstein's Manhattan townhouse in June 2009 while the disgraced tycoon was in prison for soliciting a girl of 14, documents reveal.

At the time Lord Mandelson was also "first secretary of state" in thenPM Gordon Brown's Government.

Days later Epstein wrote to Jes Staley, his personal banker at JP Morgan: "Well for all intends [sic] and purposes peter mandelson is now deputy prime minister."

Epstein was serving an 18-month term and was freed on probation in July 2009.

The claims are in a 2019 internal report by the multinational bank which was filed in evidence to a New York court on Tuesday.