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Hearing to decide Diana witnesses Plea for new Diana inquest delay
(about 8 hours later)
A preliminary hearing to decide who will be called as witnesses at the inquests of Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed will be held at the High Court. Lawyers have asked for inquests into the deaths of Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed to be put back for six months.
It will also decide on the scope of the full inquests, which will now be held before a jury. The lawyers, representing Mohamed Al Fayed, want the hearings postponed until 1 October because there is still a "massive amount of work" to do.
A ruling by deputy royal coroner Baroness Butler-Sloss that she would sit alone was overturned last week. Baroness Butler-Sloss, who will hear the inquests, said a postponement would be "very hard" on both families.
The princess and Dodi Al Fayed died in 1997 in a road crash in Paris. Their inquests are scheduled to start in May.The princess and Dodi Al Fayed died in 1997 in a road crash in Paris. Their inquests are scheduled to start in May.
Harrods boss Mohamed Al Fayed won a High Court ruling on Friday that the inquests should be heard before a jury.Harrods boss Mohamed Al Fayed won a High Court ruling on Friday that the inquests should be heard before a jury.
Paparazzi I would be very sad if I was obliged to delay the start of the main proceedings for another six months Baroness Butler-Sloss
The couple had been pursued by photographers on 31 August when their Mercedes crashed in the Pont d'Alma tunnel in Paris. The decision overturned a ruling by deputy royal coroner Lady Butler-Sloss that she would sit alone.
A panel of three judges said Lady Butler-Sloss must summon a jury because it was the appropriate body to make recommendations for changes to the law to stop similar harassment by the paparazzi of royalty and celebrities. At a pre-inquest hearing on Monday Michael Mansfield QC, representing Mr Al Fayed, said a six-month delay would be "a pebble on the beach" compared with the 10-year wait for an inquest.
They also ruled that Lady Butler-Sloss should not hear the case as coroner to the Royal Household. Instead she will sit as Westminster Assistant Deputy Coroner. In written submissions to Lady Butler-Sloss Mr Al Fayed's legal team said expert witnesses had a "massive amount of work" to do before they could be called to give evidence.
At Monday's pre-inquest hearing she will consider who to call as witnesses. The submissions added "interested persons" could only begin a "phenomenal amount of work" after the findings of an inquiry into the case by former Met Police chief Lord Stevens were released in December.
Lady Butler-Sloss told the court: "I would be very sad if I was obliged to delay the start of the main proceedings for another six months. I feel that would be very, very hard on the families."
Murder claim
Mr Mansfield also called for the inquest to be heard at a venue other than the Royal Courts of Justice, which he said was too small.
But Lady Butler-Sloss said she hoped Court 73 at the Royal Courts of Justice could be made suitable.
At the hearing on Monday Lady Butler-Sloss is to consider who to call as witnesses at the inquests.
Mr Al Fayed wants Prince Charles and Prince Philip to give evidence.Mr Al Fayed wants Prince Charles and Prince Philip to give evidence.
He maintains the couple were murdered and claims their deaths were part of a secret plot by the British establishment. An exhaustive police investigation concluded last year that Diana had died in a tragic accident and there had been no conspiracy and no cover-up. He maintains the couple were murdered and claims their deaths were part of a secret plot by the British establishment.
The couple had been pursued by photographers on 31 August when their Mercedes crashed in the Pont d'Alma tunnel in Paris.
The Stevens inquiry concluded that Diana had died in a tragic accident and there had been no conspiracy and no cover-up.