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'Attempt to slow down' Diana car Diana's car 'impeded in tunnel'
(30 minutes later)
A vehicle was trying to slow down Princess Diana's Mercedes car - before it crashed in a tunnel - so paparazzi could get pictures, a court has heard. A vehicle attempted to slow down Princess Diana's Mercedes just before it crashed in Paris, a court has heard.
Witness Olivier Partouche told an inquest into her death that the dark car was in front of the princess's car as it entered the Pont d'Alma tunnel. Witness Olivier Partouche told the inquest into the princess's death that the dark car was trying to help paparazzi on motorbikes get pictures.
It formed a "compact group" with motorcyclists around the Mercedes, Mr Partouche told the jury. He said the vehicle was in front of the princess's car as it entered the Pont d'Alma tunnel and, with the motorbikes, formed a "compact group" around it.
He was addressing the court by video link from Paris. Mr Partouche was addressing the court in London by video link from Paris.
I was just of the impression of a kind of a group, with, in the front of the group, the car, and the motorcycles just behind at the same speed Olivier Partouche The princess, her companion Dodi Al Fayed and driver Henri Paul died as a result of the crash in the tunnel on 31 August 1997.
The princess and Mr Al Fayed died, together with driver Henri Paul, when their Mercedes crashed in the tunnel on 31 August 1997. Mr Partouche, who was working as a chauffeur at the time, said he was standing at the side of the road on the approach to the tunnel, waiting for a client, when he saw the Mercedes travelling "very, very fast".
Mr Partouche, who was working as a chauffeur at the time, says he was standing at the side of the road on the approach to the tunnel, waiting for a client, when he saw the couple's car travelling "very, very fast". Mr Partouche told the High Court that the dark car was a "Ford Mondeo-style" saloon car.
Mr Partouche told London's High Court that the dark car was a "Ford Mondeo-style" saloon car. He said it was in front of the Mercedes and that "a number of motorcycles" were following the car carrying the princess.
He said the car was in front of the Mercedes and that "a number of motorcycles" were following the car carrying the princess.
"I was just of the impression of a kind of a group, with, in the front of the group, the car, and the motorcycles just behind at the same speed," he said."I was just of the impression of a kind of a group, with, in the front of the group, the car, and the motorcycles just behind at the same speed," he said.
'Blocking vehicle''Blocking vehicle'
In a statement made to police two hours after the crash, Mr Partouche said the car had been travelling at 150 km/h (93mph) but he told the court that he thought it was slightly slower than this.In a statement made to police two hours after the crash, Mr Partouche said the car had been travelling at 150 km/h (93mph) but he told the court that he thought it was slightly slower than this.
In the statement, he referred to the dark car as "the blocking vehicle" and said "clearly this car was trying to make the Mercedes slow down". In the statement, he referred to the dark car as "the blocking vehicle" and said: "Clearly this car was trying to make the Mercedes slow down."
"The object of the manoeuvre was to make it possible for the paparazzi to take photographs," he added in the statement. He added: "The object of the manoeuvre was to make it possible for the paparazzi to take photographs."
But in a later statement made to a French examining magistrate, Mr Partouche said: "The vehicle in front of the Mercedes did not perform any dangerous manoeuvres on the road to prevent it getting past."But in a later statement made to a French examining magistrate, Mr Partouche said: "The vehicle in front of the Mercedes did not perform any dangerous manoeuvres on the road to prevent it getting past."