Diana paparazzi 'hindered police'

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Paparazzi taking photographs of Princess Diana as she lay dying prevented police from getting to the car wreck, an inquest has heard.

Eyewitness Clifford Goorovadoo said: "...when the first police officers arrived, the journalists would not let them through. They were pushing."

Mr Goorovadoo was parked down the road from the scene of the 1997 crash in the Alma tunnel in Paris.

The inquest heard from statements the chauffeur made at the time.

It is believed that Mr Goorovadoo has refused to appear at the inquest.

'Tremendous noise'

In his police statement, Mr Goorovadoo speaks of his "outrage" and how he could not understand the attitude of the photographers who argued and jostled for position without giving any help. When I was holding the head of one of the injured people I heard the photographers arguing about the best shots Clifford Goorovadoo

"At no stage did they come to the aid of the injured. They just took photographs of the scene.

"I think that the emergency services might have arrived sooner if they had just called them."

He also told the French detectives: "When I was holding the head of one of the injured people I heard the photographers arguing about the best shots.

"I turned around and shouted at them that they had better things to do."

The photographers have claimed they did not call for help, thinking that members of the public had already done it.

'Engine roar'

Speaking of the moments before the crash, Mr Goorovadoo said he was alerted by the "roar of a car engine".

He said he looked up and spotted a motorcycle in hot pursuit of a Mercedes, which was carrying Diana.

The pillion passenger on the motorbike was taking photographs just before the Mercedes crashed, according to Mr Goorovadoo.

He was not certain if a flash gun was being used.

There was "a tremendous noise" moments later and Mr Goorovadoo rushed to help the victims.

He was quickly identified as a key witness by the press, the inquest heard.

Account 'changed'

Mr Goorovadoo made six police statements, the first at 2.30am on 31 August 1997 just two hours after Paris crash which killed Diana, her lover Dodi Fayed and driver Henri Paul.

His statements, including variations on the possible distance of the motorbike to the Mercedes, were read out to the jury.

Tom de la Mare, lawyer for the Ritz Hotel, said: "There is at least a suspicion that he has been got at.

"We know that the press were trailing him and now his account has changed in a fundamental way to exculpate the people on the motorbike. Maybe it is a bit fishy?"

The coroner Lord Justice Scott Baker said: "One possible explanation is that the memory close to the time is the better memory."

Seven paparazzi were arrested at the scene and another five were arrested later.

All of the paparazzi who were on the scene that night have refused to appear, either by videolink from Paris or in person at the inquest. Their police statements are being read to the jury.

The French authorities mounted an investigation against all but two of the photographers on potential charges of failing to render assistance and involuntary manslaughter.

The case against the paparazzi was dismissed in December 1999 when the judge was satisfied the driving of the photographers had not caused the crash.