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Dodi 'insisted on car decoy plan' Bodyguard denies Diana cover-up
(about 3 hours 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 crash which killed Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed has denied at their inquest that he is part of a murder cover-up.
Trevor Rees said he had had reservations about Mr Al Fayed's plan to sneak out of the Ritz Hotel. Bodyguard Trevor Rees has recovered from head injuries he suffered, but has said he remembers little of the crash.
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. Mr Al Fayed's father Mohamed Al Fayed claims Mr Rees is pretending he is suffering memory loss.
Giving evidence at their inquest, he denied being part of a murder cover-up. Giving evidence at the inquest on the couple, Mr Rees said his "last true memory" was leaving the Ritz Hotel.
Mr Rees also said Dodi Al Fayed insisted on the ill-fated decoy plan to dodge waiting paparazzi.
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.
Waiting photographersWaiting 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 All I have ever done is given the truth as I see it Trevor Rees
Trevor Rees The plan failed as there were already photographers waiting at the back.
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 must 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 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 with no security would have been Dodi's. However my decision was to travel with the couple."Asked by counsel to the inquest Ian Burnett QC whose decision it therefore was, he replied: "The decision to leave with no security would have been Dodi's. However my decision was to travel with the couple."
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.
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.
The ex-bodyguard, the only person in the car wearing a seatbelt, told the inquest: "All I have ever done is given the truth as I see it."The ex-bodyguard, the only person in the car wearing a seatbelt, told the inquest: "All I have ever done is given the truth as I see it."
Mr Paul's body had high carbon monoxide levels, the court heard Mr Rees said he did not know Henri Paul had been drinking
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.
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.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.
At one point during the inquest, Lord Justice Scott Baker demanded to know why several "grave allegations" against Mr Rees had not been withdrawn.
"Why haven't they been withdrawn by Mr Al Fayed since the 9th of February 2006?" the coroner asked.
"They are very grave allegations and I would have thought that a man with any decency, who is not going to pursue them, would have withdrawn them."
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."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."
Conspiracy theory pressureConspiracy theory pressure
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 explained that he recalled sitting at traffic lights at the Place de la Concorde during the journey, with paparazzi on motorbikes beside the Mercedes.
Then in the immediate aftermath of the crash, he remembered hearing a woman's voice saying the name Dodi.Then in the immediate aftermath of the crash, he remembered hearing a woman's voice saying the name Dodi.
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.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 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.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.
The inquest continues.The inquest continues.