15/01/2007

Non-jury Diana inquest announced

A jury will not hear the inquest into the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, the coroner has announced.

Lady Elizabeth Butler-Sloss will hear the case alone, after also rejecting using a jury consisting of members of the Royal household.

The coroner came to the decision after scrutinising legal arguments delivered at the High Court last week.

Separate hearings will be held into the death of Diana and Dodi Al Fayed, who both died in the same car crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris on August 31, 1997.

Both inquests are expected to take place in May.

The inquests follow the publication of Lord Stevens' inquiry into the car accident, which has been surrounded by speculation.

The inquiry ruled that the accident was nothing more than a tragic accident and that the driver of the car carrying Diana and Dodi - Henri Paul - was drunk and driving too fast. Mr Paul also died in the crash.

Dodi's father, Harrods boss Mohamed al Fayed refused to accept the findings of Lord Stevens' inquiry. Mr Fayed has always maintained that the couple were murdered and that their deaths were part of a secret plot by the British establishment.

(KMcA)

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