Philippine police have obtained a warrant to examine devices seized from the former home of Thomas Markle, father of the Duchess of Sussex.

Earlier this month, it was reported that hundreds of images of child sexual abuse allegedly belonging to Thomas Markle Sr, 82, had been found at the property in the Philippines.

Four boxes of material, including computers, phones, hard drives and old videotapes, were handed to police by Meghan’s half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, last week. However, officers in Cebu needed a court warrant before they could examine the items.

Thomas Markle Sr, who is now in the US, has strongly denied the allegations made by his son, describing them as “sick lies”.

Cebu Regional Prosecutor Graeme Elmido told the BBC that Thomas Markle Jr was “adamant” that the case should be investigated, and that he felt his father “has to answer for it”.

Last week, the Sun on Sunday reported that Thomas Markle Sr’s ex-wife, Roslyn Loveless, had sent a letter to the Metropolitan Police about the 2019 allegations, which was shared with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the time.

Loveless, who has since died, is the mother of Meghan’s two half-siblings. She divorced Thomas Markle Sr. in 1975, before he married the duchess’s mother.