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Al Fayed criticises Diana coroner 'No evidence' of Diana pregnancy
(about 1 hour later)
Mohamed Al Fayed has criticised a coroner's remarks at the inquest into the deaths of his son Dodi and Princess Diana in Paris in 1997. "Intimate" details of Princess Diana's life will be heard at the inquest into her death, but evidence of pregnancy may never be known, a judge has said.
Jurors hearing evidence are to be shown video evidence, including CCTV footage, on the inquest's second day. Lord Justice Scott Baker said scientific evidence might not be able to demonstrate either way that she was pregnant when she died in a car crash.
Speaking outside London's High Court, Mr Al Fayed's spokesman said instead of a "neutral outline" the judge had introduced "contentious" matters. On the second day of the inquest, he said there was evidence Diana had been using the contraceptive pill.
Coroner Lord Justice Baker told jurors it would be a "vigorous" inquiry. Her ex-butler Paul Burrell could be called to give evidence.
Justice Baker also said there was contradictory evidence about whether Diana was poised to become engaged to Mr Al Fayed on 31 August, 1997 - the night they both died in a car crash in a Paris tunnel.
It is likely that pregnancy is a matter that cannot be proved one way or the other in scientific terms in this case Justice Scott BakerDiana inquest
As Mr Al Fayed's father Mohamed maintains that the pair were killed to stop them marrying, the issue of pregnancy is one of 20 to be addressed by the inquest in London.
Justice Baker said it was relevant: "First, her pregnancy or suspected pregnancy is said to have provided the motive or part of the motive for killing Diana.
"Second, her body was embalmed by the French and it is said that the purpose of this was to conceal that she was pregnant."
No pregnancy test was carried out on Diana at the Paris hospital where she was taken after the accident as there appeared to be no reason to do so.
Later in a post-mortem examination no evidence was detected that she was in the early stages of pregnancy, but the jurors would hear evidence about how much a post-mortem examiner can see physical signs of early pregnancy.
Mohamed Al Fayed believes the pair were deliberately killed
"It is likely that pregnancy is a matter that cannot be proved one way or the other in scientific terms in this case," Justice Baker told the jurors.
"You will, of course, consider the scientific evidence such as it is but you will also hear evidence from several sources about what Diana had to say to her friends, and intimate details of her personal life."
'In the dock''In the dock'
Outside the inquest, Mohamed Al Fayed criticised the coroner's opening remarks.
Mr Al Fayed's spokesman Michael Cole said: "The lawyers had been led to believe that it would be a very neutral outline of the case ahead.Mr Al Fayed's spokesman Michael Cole said: "The lawyers had been led to believe that it would be a very neutral outline of the case ahead.
"But contentious and disputed matters were introduced at a very early stage - and that could have presented the appearance of bias, whether it was intended or not.""But contentious and disputed matters were introduced at a very early stage - and that could have presented the appearance of bias, whether it was intended or not."
He said that even though the coroner had said no-one was on trial, "I think his thrust was certainly that Mr Al Fayed was in the dock - that we weren't actually pursuing the truth so much, as trying to disprove Mr Al Fayed's firmly held beliefs which have been confirmed by many, many other independent investigators."He said that even though the coroner had said no-one was on trial, "I think his thrust was certainly that Mr Al Fayed was in the dock - that we weren't actually pursuing the truth so much, as trying to disprove Mr Al Fayed's firmly held beliefs which have been confirmed by many, many other independent investigators."
On the first day of the inquest, jurors were shown photographs of Dodi Al Fayed and Diana's last moments before the car crash in the Pont d'Alma tunnel, Paris, on 31 August, 1997.
More images from the Ritz Hotel and inside the tunnel are to be shown later.
The inquest, being held at London's Royal Courts of Justice, could last for up to six months.The inquest, being held at London's Royal Courts of Justice, could last for up to six months.