This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/7200366.stm

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Diana driver tests 'inconsistent' Diana's driver 'had five drinks'
(about 3 hours later)
Tests carried out on the body of Princess Diana's chauffeur Henri Paul suffered "inconsistencies", the inquest into her death has been told. Princess Diana's chauffeur Henri Paul had five alcoholic drinks the night he died, the inquest into her death heard.
British pathologist Professor Robert Forrest said Mr Paul had been over the drink-drive limit when the car crashed. Bar staff at Paris's Ritz hotel said he drank two 50ml liqueurs that night.
He said Mr Paul's body had been wrongly labelled at one point, and blood was taken from his chest cavity instead of his heart - a more reliable source. But his blood alcohol level - 1.74g of alcohol per litre of blood at the time of the crash - was two times the drink-drive limit for UK motorists.
The interpretation of the samples was only as good as the samples, he said. Pathologist Professor Robert Forrest, who has questioned the quality of the blood samples taken, said this was more consistent with five drinks.
'Good quality samples'
Princess Diana and her companion Dodi Al Fayed died with Mr Paul in a car crash in Paris in August 1997.Princess Diana and her companion Dodi Al Fayed died with Mr Paul in a car crash in Paris in August 1997.
Two French doctors - a toxicologist and a pathologist who were responsible for tests carried out on Mr Paul's body - have refused to come to London to give testimony at the inquest.
The interpretation of the samples is only as good as the samples themselves Professor Robert ForrestThe interpretation of the samples is only as good as the samples themselves Professor Robert Forrest
Professor Forrest told the jury the test results were "unlikely to reflect taking two 50 ml doses of Ricard (liqueur) in the couple of hours or so before death".
"It is likely to reflect the consumption of a significantly greater amount of alcohol than that."
However, Professor Forrest did admit that his measurement was "imprecise" because of factors such as metabolism and the physical condition of the subject.
He said French authorities used the "gold standard throughout the world" for the measurement of alcohol in biological fluids and "did every test in the repertoire of the laboratory" on the samples.
Two French doctors - a toxicologist and a pathologist who were responsible for tests carried out on Mr Paul's body - have refused to come to London to give testimony at the inquest.
Professor Forrest, a retired consultant in clinical chemistry and forensic toxicology, said the body numbering for Mr Paul and Mr Fayed had been mixed up at one stage.Professor Forrest, a retired consultant in clinical chemistry and forensic toxicology, said the body numbering for Mr Paul and Mr Fayed had been mixed up at one stage.
The professor, who had made his own study of the case after seeing French medical papers relating to the deaths, used the phrase "garbage in, garbage out" to show how it was important to have "good quality samples you know the provenance of".The professor, who had made his own study of the case after seeing French medical papers relating to the deaths, used the phrase "garbage in, garbage out" to show how it was important to have "good quality samples you know the provenance of".
He told the inquest: "Bottom line is, the interpretation of the samples is only as good as the samples themselves.He told the inquest: "Bottom line is, the interpretation of the samples is only as good as the samples themselves.
"It doesn't matter how sophisticated the analysis is, if you don't have the good material to work with you have to qualify the interpretation of the data your laboratory generates.""It doesn't matter how sophisticated the analysis is, if you don't have the good material to work with you have to qualify the interpretation of the data your laboratory generates."
'Looked surprised''Looked surprised'
Blood from the chest cavity could have been contaminated from the driver's stomach contents or his broken ribs, the inquest was told.Blood from the chest cavity could have been contaminated from the driver's stomach contents or his broken ribs, the inquest was told.
Dr Gilbert Pepin, responsible for the toxicology tests, believed the blood samples had come from Mr Paul's heart, Professor Forrest said.Dr Gilbert Pepin, responsible for the toxicology tests, believed the blood samples had come from Mr Paul's heart, Professor Forrest said.
"I was there when Dr Pepin was told it was not cardiac blood, it was chest cavity blood. I still have a vivid recollection of the way that his face changed when he was told, he looked surprised.""I was there when Dr Pepin was told it was not cardiac blood, it was chest cavity blood. I still have a vivid recollection of the way that his face changed when he was told, he looked surprised."
He added that a French medical paper showed five samples of blood were taken from the driver's body at the Institute of Forensic Medicine (IFM) in Paris during Mr Paul's autopsy.He added that a French medical paper showed five samples of blood were taken from the driver's body at the Institute of Forensic Medicine (IFM) in Paris during Mr Paul's autopsy.
Pathologist Professor Dominique Lecomte has said she took only three during the post-mortem examination and two more were later obtained by a colleague a few days afterwards. Pathologist Professor Dominique Lecomte has said she took only three during the post mortem and two more were later obtained by a colleague a few days afterwards.
Professor Forrest described them as "unresolved incompatibilities - inconsistencies I should say." The inquest continues.