Ghislaine Maxwell has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for collaborating with longtime companion Jeffrey Epstein to sexually abuse underage girls.

On Tuesday, Judge Alison Nathan noted that the sentencing guidelines suggested 15.5 years to 19.5 years in prison, but she delivered a sentence above the provided range, noting Ms Maxwell’s “direct and repeated participation in a horrific scheme.”

“Miss Maxwell is not punished in place of Epstein,” the Judge said. “Miss Maxwell is being punished for the role that she played.”

Judge Nathan described the sentence as “sufficient and no graver than necessary”.

Ms Maxwell, who did not testify in her defence during the trial, spoke in court to the victims shortly before the sentence was handed down.

“I am sorry for the pain that you’ve experienced,” Ms Maxwell said. “I hope my conviction…brings you closure.”

Ms Maxwell was also sentenced to five years of supervised release and a $750,000 fine. Her lawyer said she would be unable to pay the fine and the judge said she will be sent to a federal prison in Danbury, Connecticut.

The former girlfriend of Mr Epstein and daughter of late press baron Robert Maxwell, Ghislaine Maxwell had been convicted in December of five counts, involving sex trafficking of a minor, transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and three other related counts of conspiracy. 

Mr Epstein had pleaded guilty in 2008 to state prostitution charges, he was indicted on federal sex trafficking charges in July 2019. A month later, Mr Epstein was found dead in prison. His death was ruled out as suicide.

French fashion agent Jean-Luc Brunel, a known collaborator of Mr Epstein, was also found dead in his prison cell on the night of February 18, in Paris.