Documents about Diana's death 'being withheld'

Caroline Davies
London Telegraph
Tuesday May 15, 2007

Lawyers for Mohamed Fayed, the owner of Harrods, will today claim they are being denied access to crucial documents relating to the inquests into the deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales and Dodi Fayed.

They claim that despite asking for all the records referred to in Lord Stevens's Operation Paget report into the tragedy, what they have been given so far is incomplete and with many omissions - including notes relating to Prince Charles's statement to police.

Some items have been withheld from them by coroner Baroness Butler-Sloss, presumably either because she feels they are not relevant, or because they are too sensitive, it is understood.

Mr Fayed's legal team, headed by Michael Mansfield QC, has already demanded documents relating to all the interviews and statements given to Lord Stevens, including any notes by detectives who approached Prince Charles in connection with the inquiry into Diana's death.

Lord Stevens recorded in his report that the prince had no knowledge of the circumstances leading up to the tragedy. Prince Philip was also approached but declined to comment to the Operation Paget inquiry.

Mr Fayed's lawyers also want any police notes in connection with that. Mr Fayed has always claimed that his son and the princess were murdered as part of an Establishment and Secret Service conspiracy masterminded by Prince Philip.

At a pre-inquest hearing in the High Court today, Mr Fayed's lawyers will claim that the haphazard and incomplete way in which the documents have been given to them is causing such confusion that it threatens the whole timetable of the controversial inquests, which are due to be re-opened in October.


They will also claim that, despite requests, no venue has yet been set for the hearings, which could cause another set-back.

Today's hearing will be the last presided over by Lady Butler-Sloss, 73, a retired senior judge.

She has stepped down as coroner for the sensitive inquests claiming she feels she lacks the experience to deal with an inquest jury.

She had intended to hear the inquests without a jury, but Mr Fayed challenged her decision and won in the appeal court.

She is due to hand over to Mr Justice Scott Baker, next month. He will be the third coroner to be in charge of the inquests since they were opened three years ago, and the fourth since the couple died in a Paris car crash 10 years ago.