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Burrell escapes perjury referral | Burrell escapes perjury referral |
(41 minutes later) | |
The coroner for the inquest into the death of Princess Diana has no plans to refer ex-butler Paul Burrell to police for a perjury investigation. | |
Lord Justice Scott Baker had told the jury that it was "blindingly obvious" her former butler had lied to them. | |
But after the verdict, he said he was "not minded" to involve the police. | |
The jury found the princess and Dodi Al Fayed were unlawfully killed due to the "gross negligence" of driver Henri Paul and the paparazzi. | The jury found the princess and Dodi Al Fayed were unlawfully killed due to the "gross negligence" of driver Henri Paul and the paparazzi. |
The Metropolitan Police said it is not currently investigating any perjury allegations relating to the case, but did not rule out doing so in the future. | The Metropolitan Police said it is not currently investigating any perjury allegations relating to the case, but did not rule out doing so in the future. |
In his summing up, Lord Justice Scott Baker told the jury that the evidence Mr Burrell gave was clearly "not the whole truth", but that not all of his testimony should be discounted. | |
Mr Burrell, who has published several books and was a reality television participant, may have given evidence while thinking that "whatever he said might have an impact on his future enterprises", the coroner said. | |
I think he is going to be very mindful of what people are saying - which is that it should end here Katharine WittyAl Fayed spokeswoman Send us your comments | I think he is going to be very mindful of what people are saying - which is that it should end here Katharine WittyAl Fayed spokeswoman Send us your comments |
In a video obtained by the Sun newspaper, Mr Burrell appeared to claim he introduced "red herrings" in court and held back facts. | |
Mr Burrell, 49, who denies perjury, had refused to return to the UK from the US to reappear at the inquest. | |
Lord Justice Scott Baker also cast doubt on Mr Burrell's conversation with the Queen several months after the August 1997 crash, in which he claimed that the Queen told him "there are powers at work in this country of which we have no knowledge". | |
Reacting to the verdict after the six-month inquest, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said it was time to "draw a line" under the death of the princess. | |
Trevor Rees, the only survivor of the crash, said he agreed with the jury's verdict. | |
"I hope that this now represents a point from which everyone involved can move on." | |
Survivor Trevor Rees has been praised by Princes William and Harry | |
Mr Rees, who suffered horrific injuries in the Paris car smash, was employed by Mr Al Fayed at the time of the accident. | |
He was praised by Diana's sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, for giving evidence to the inquest. | |
"We are particularly grateful to Trevor Rees and to others who came forward to give evidence - in many cases reawakening their painful and personal memories," they said. | "We are particularly grateful to Trevor Rees and to others who came forward to give evidence - in many cases reawakening their painful and personal memories," they said. |
In a message to jurors, they said: "We agree with their verdicts and are both hugely grateful." | In a message to jurors, they said: "We agree with their verdicts and are both hugely grateful." |
However, Dodi's father Mohamed has rejected the verdicts. His spokeswoman, Katharine Witty, told BBC News 24: "I think he is just going to reflect on the full ramifications of the verdict." | |
Asked if he would challenge it through judicial review, she said: "I think it is something he is considering...I think he is going to be very mindful of what people are saying - which is that it should end here." | Asked if he would challenge it through judicial review, she said: "I think it is something he is considering...I think he is going to be very mindful of what people are saying - which is that it should end here." |
She said Mr Al Fayed accepted some issues had "fallen away" during the inquest, but added: "It is possible that MI6 were involved...we are still saying that, it's possible, but whether...we can do anything about that remains to be seen." | She said Mr Al Fayed accepted some issues had "fallen away" during the inquest, but added: "It is possible that MI6 were involved...we are still saying that, it's possible, but whether...we can do anything about that remains to be seen." |