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Dodi 'insisted on car decoy plan' Dodi 'insisted on car decoy plan'
(40 minutes later)
The sole survivor of the car crash which killed Princess Diana said Dodi Al Fayed had insisted on the ill-fated decoy plan to dodge waiting paparazzi.The sole survivor of the car crash which killed Princess Diana said Dodi Al Fayed had insisted on the ill-fated decoy plan to dodge waiting paparazzi.
Trevor Rees said he had had reservations about Mr Al Fayed's plan to sneak out of the Ritz Hotel.Trevor Rees said he had had reservations about Mr Al Fayed's plan to sneak out of the Ritz Hotel.
He suffered serious head injuries and made a good recovery but has said he has little memory of events which led up to Diana and Mr Al Fayed's deaths.He suffered serious head injuries and made a good recovery but has said he has little memory of events which led up to Diana and Mr Al Fayed's deaths.
Giving evidence at their inquest, he denied being part of a murder cover-up.Giving evidence at their inquest, he denied being part of a murder cover-up.
Mr Rees, who was known as Rees-Jones at the time of the crash on 31 August 1997, told the jury he went along with the plan because Dodi had talked about leaving the Paris hotel with no security.Mr Rees, who was known as Rees-Jones at the time of the crash on 31 August 1997, told the jury he went along with the plan because Dodi had talked about leaving the Paris hotel with no security.
Decoy car Waiting photographers
The jury has heard the decoy plan involved two cars, including a Mercedes with an official driver, waiting at the front of the hotel opposite a crowd of photographers.The jury has heard the decoy plan involved two cars, including a Mercedes with an official driver, waiting at the front of the hotel opposite a crowd of photographers.
The couple would then leave in a third car from the rear of the hotel, driven by Henri Paul, who was not an official driver.The couple would then leave in a third car from the rear of the hotel, driven by Henri Paul, who was not an official driver.
All I have ever done is given the truth as I see it
Trevor Rees
The plan failed as there were already photographers waiting at the back and it meant the car left without a trained driver and a decoy car.The plan failed as there were already photographers waiting at the back and it meant the car left without a trained driver and a decoy car.
Mr Rees said he could not remember if Mr Al Fayed or Mr Paul first told him of the plan but was sure the idea had come from the former.Mr Rees said he could not remember if Mr Al Fayed or Mr Paul first told him of the plan but was sure the idea had come from the former.
He said his response had been: "To advise Dodi that we could leave from the front in two vehicles as the crowd and the press had been pushed back."He said his response had been: "To advise Dodi that we could leave from the front in two vehicles as the crowd and the press had been pushed back."
At first Mr Rees was told he would be at the front of the hotel while Dodi and the princess would travel without security from the rear.At first Mr Rees was told he would be at the front of the hotel while Dodi and the princess would travel without security from the rear.
'No security''No security'
But he said he decided they would not travel without him and again advised them they could leave from the front of the hotel.But he said he decided they would not travel without him and again advised them they could leave from the front of the hotel.
He told the jury: "I was conscious of the fact that if I kept pushing the point that the initial decision to leave without security would have prevailed so I made a decision to go with the compromise to no security and deal with the issues... later."He told the jury: "I was conscious of the fact that if I kept pushing the point that the initial decision to leave without security would have prevailed so I made a decision to go with the compromise to no security and deal with the issues... later."
Asked by counsel to the inquest Ian Burnett QC whose decision it therefore was, he replied: "The decision to leave from the rear of the hotel I believe came from Dodi.Asked by counsel to the inquest Ian Burnett QC whose decision it therefore was, he replied: "The decision to leave from the rear of the hotel I believe came from Dodi.
"The decision to leave with no security would have been Dodi's. However my decision was to travel with the couple.""The decision to leave with no security would have been Dodi's. However my decision was to travel with the couple."
All I have ever done is given the truth as I see it
Trevor Rees
Mr Rees told the High Court he would have stopped Mr Paul driving if he knew he had been drinking.Mr Rees told the High Court he would have stopped Mr Paul driving if he knew he had been drinking.
He had been in the bar of the Ritz with the driver, but did not realise he had been drinking alcoholic drinks.He had been in the bar of the Ritz with the driver, but did not realise he had been drinking alcoholic drinks.
Mr Rees, who was employed by Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed as a bodyguard for his son Dodi at the time of the crash, broke every bone in his face and suffered serious chest injuries.Mr Rees, who was employed by Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed as a bodyguard for his son Dodi at the time of the crash, broke every bone in his face and suffered serious chest injuries.
He was the only person in the car wearing a seatbelt.He was the only person in the car wearing a seatbelt.
The ex-bodyguard told the inquest: "All I have ever done is given the truth as I see it."The ex-bodyguard told the inquest: "All I have ever done is given the truth as I see it."
Henri Paul's body showed high levels of carbon monoxide, the court heard
He made the remarks in answer to a question in which Ian Burnett QC, for the coroner, outlined Mohamed Al Fayed's controversial claim that Diana was murdered.He made the remarks in answer to a question in which Ian Burnett QC, for the coroner, outlined Mohamed Al Fayed's controversial claim that Diana was murdered.
The inquest also heard that Mr Rees worked with American author Moira Johnston on a book called The Bodyguard's Story. Mohamed Al Fayed alleges that Mr Rees has not lost his memory, and that the former bodyguard was appointed to a UN post to ensure his continued silence, which he has denied.
Book authorship At the inquest, Mr Burnett repeated the claim that the memory loss was not real, prompting Mr Rees to say: "I have no memory after leaving the back of the [Ritz] hotel, that's my last true memory."
The book, which was published in 2000, is written in the third person and based on a series of interviews with Mr Rees, his mother, Jill, and Dr Luc Chikhani, the surgeon who reconstructed the former bodyguard's face. He added: "I believe at the time I had two memories, two flashbacks."
Mr Burnett asked: "It has also been alleged by Mr Al Fayed that the book was written either by or at the behest of the security services, in particular MI6. Is there any truth in that?" Mr Rees explained that he recalled sitting at traffic lights at the Place de la Concorde during the journey, with paparazzi on motorbikes beside the Mercedes.
Mr Rees said this was not the case and also denied suggestions that the book was written with former Sunday Telegraph editor Dominic Lawson. Then in the immediate aftermath of the crash, he remembered hearing a woman's voice saying the name Dodi.
He was also asked if journalist Martin Gregory, who has also written another book on this topic which does not back Mohamed Al Fayed's claims, penned the book. Conspiracy theory pressure
UN post However, the jury was reminded by Mr Burnett that psychiatrist Dr Maurice Lipsedge has said the former bodyguard's memories about the crash ended when the car left the Ritz and any recollections after this could be false memories.
The former bodyguard said: "He had no part at all." Mr Rees said he agreed with this diagnosis.
The jury has already heard that when Mr Rees returned to work he felt his employer was obsessed with the idea that Diana and Dodi Al Fayed had been murdered. The inquest has already heard that when Mr Rees returned to work he felt his employer was obsessed with the idea that Diana and Dodi Al Fayed had been murdered.
He also thought Mohamed Al Fayed was increasingly trying to pressure him into agreeing with the theory.He also thought Mohamed Al Fayed was increasingly trying to pressure him into agreeing with the theory.
Mohamed Al Fayed alleges that Mr Rees has not lost his memory, and that the former bodyguard was appointed to a UN post to ensure his continued silence. The inquest also heard that Mr Rees worked with American author Moira Johnston on a book called The Bodyguard's Story, which was published in 2000.
Mr Rees has denied the claims. Mr Rees rejected claims that the book had been written either by or at the behest of the security services, in particular MI6.