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| Diana photo 'offered from tunnel' | Diana photo 'offered from tunnel' |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| A paparazzo rang a UK newspaper from the Paris tunnel where Princess Diana's car crashed to offer exclusive pictures for £300,000, her inquest has heard. | |
| The photographs of the injured princess taken by Romuald Rat were offered to the Sun, one of its staff said in a transcript obtained by the coroner. | |
| Earlier, a witness said photographers at the scene of the crash would stop at nothing to get the photos they wanted. | |
| Stephane Darmon said their behaviour had "overstepped the mark". | Stephane Darmon said their behaviour had "overstepped the mark". |
| Diana, her companion Dodi Al Fayed, and driver Henri Paul died as a result of the crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel on 31 August 1997 after leaving the Ritz Hotel in Paris. | Diana, her companion Dodi Al Fayed, and driver Henri Paul died as a result of the crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel on 31 August 1997 after leaving the Ritz Hotel in Paris. |
| The inquest jury, sitting at the High Court in London, heard part of an interview that was obtained by the coroner from Channel 4. | The inquest jury, sitting at the High Court in London, heard part of an interview that was obtained by the coroner from Channel 4. |
| Kenneth Lennox, from the Sun, said in the interview he had been at home on the night of 30 August when he got a "slightly panicked" call. | Kenneth Lennox, from the Sun, said in the interview he had been at home on the night of 30 August when he got a "slightly panicked" call. |
| Exclusive photographs | Exclusive photographs |
| In a transcript read to the jury he said: "The French-speaking photographer Romuald Rat said he had got photographs of Diana being involved in a car crash and I could have them exclusively for the UK for £300,000. | In a transcript read to the jury he said: "The French-speaking photographer Romuald Rat said he had got photographs of Diana being involved in a car crash and I could have them exclusively for the UK for £300,000. |
| "He said it was a serious crash. Dodi looked to be very badly injured. Diana looked to be very lightly injured, did not look too severely hurt at all. | "He said it was a serious crash. Dodi looked to be very badly injured. Diana looked to be very lightly injured, did not look too severely hurt at all. |
| "And he would get the photographs over to my electronic picture desk right now. I didn't waste time. I had to see these pictures, but in principle I said yes to buying them." | "And he would get the photographs over to my electronic picture desk right now. I didn't waste time. I had to see these pictures, but in principle I said yes to buying them." |
| Romuald Rat took this image of Diana's crashed Mercedes | Romuald Rat took this image of Diana's crashed Mercedes |
| Mr Lennox said the photographs he received "jumped off the screen" at him - one showed Diana sitting in the car with a trickle of blood on her face. | Mr Lennox said the photographs he received "jumped off the screen" at him - one showed Diana sitting in the car with a trickle of blood on her face. |
| A second showed a doctor attending to Diana with a portable oxygen mask. | A second showed a doctor attending to Diana with a portable oxygen mask. |
| Neither of these images were among photographs taken by Mr Rat in the tunnel that were later recovered by French police, the jury heard. | Neither of these images were among photographs taken by Mr Rat in the tunnel that were later recovered by French police, the jury heard. |
| But Mr Darmon said Mr Rat could have got some of his pictures out of the underpass through another photographer before they were arrested by French police. | But Mr Darmon said Mr Rat could have got some of his pictures out of the underpass through another photographer before they were arrested by French police. |
| Mr Darmon, who was driving one of the paparazzi in pursuit of Diana on his motorcycle, earlier told the inquest that he was first to arrive at the crash in Paris, and he described how photographers took pictures of the mangled wreck of her Mercedes. | Mr Darmon, who was driving one of the paparazzi in pursuit of Diana on his motorcycle, earlier told the inquest that he was first to arrive at the crash in Paris, and he described how photographers took pictures of the mangled wreck of her Mercedes. |
| Irresponsible behaviour | Irresponsible behaviour |
| Michael Mansfield QC, cross-examining Mr Darmon, asked him: "The behaviour of the paparazzi in the tunnel that night was irresponsible wasn't it?" | Michael Mansfield QC, cross-examining Mr Darmon, asked him: "The behaviour of the paparazzi in the tunnel that night was irresponsible wasn't it?" |
| He answered: "For some of them, yes, I totally agree with you, for some of them, when they photographed the people inside, yes you are right." | He answered: "For some of them, yes, I totally agree with you, for some of them, when they photographed the people inside, yes you are right." |
| Mr Mansfield, who is representing Dodi's father Mohamed Al Fayed asked: "Some paparazzi will, do you agree, stop at nothing in order to get the picture they want?" | Mr Mansfield, who is representing Dodi's father Mohamed Al Fayed asked: "Some paparazzi will, do you agree, stop at nothing in order to get the picture they want?" |
| Mr Darmon answered: "Obviously." | Mr Darmon answered: "Obviously." |
| Mr Darmon's pillion passenger was photographer Mr Rat, who he had been working with since lunchtime on Saturday 30 August, when he drove him to Le Bourget Airport to photograph Diana and Dodi arriving on a private jet from Sardinia. | Mr Darmon's pillion passenger was photographer Mr Rat, who he had been working with since lunchtime on Saturday 30 August, when he drove him to Le Bourget Airport to photograph Diana and Dodi arriving on a private jet from Sardinia. |
| He told the inquest of a conversation that he and Mr Rat had shared in which the paparazzo had told him he was after a "scoop". | He told the inquest of a conversation that he and Mr Rat had shared in which the paparazzo had told him he was after a "scoop". |
| Earlier, Mr Darmon told the court he had recognised the signs of alcoholism in Diana's driver, Henri Paul, that night because his own father had been an alcoholic. | Earlier, Mr Darmon told the court he had recognised the signs of alcoholism in Diana's driver, Henri Paul, that night because his own father had been an alcoholic. |
| Richard Keen QC, representing Mr Paul's parents, said it was "very convenient" to suggest that the driver of the Mercedes had been an alcoholic and that therefore he had been responsible for the crash | Richard Keen QC, representing Mr Paul's parents, said it was "very convenient" to suggest that the driver of the Mercedes had been an alcoholic and that therefore he had been responsible for the crash |
| Mr Darmon replied: "I do not know what to answer to that." | Mr Darmon replied: "I do not know what to answer to that." |
| 'Totally delirious' | |
| He said Mr Rat had tried to assist the car's occupants by keeping other photographers away from the vehicle. | He said Mr Rat had tried to assist the car's occupants by keeping other photographers away from the vehicle. |
| Mr Keen accused Mr Rat of trying to protect the £300,000 exclusive and not the victims of the crash. | Mr Keen accused Mr Rat of trying to protect the £300,000 exclusive and not the victims of the crash. |
| "What percentage does the driver get, Mr Darmon?" he asked. | "What percentage does the driver get, Mr Darmon?" he asked. |
| Mr Darmon replied: "I do not want to answer this. This is totally delirious. I am nothing, I am a motorcycle rider." | Mr Darmon replied: "I do not want to answer this. This is totally delirious. I am nothing, I am a motorcycle rider." |
| The court also heard suggestions that Mr Darmon had been involved in incidents of aggressive driving while pursuing the princess's car earlier in the day. | The court also heard suggestions that Mr Darmon had been involved in incidents of aggressive driving while pursuing the princess's car earlier in the day. |
| He admitted driving across the pavement of the Champs Elysees next to Dodi's flat on the Rue Arsene Houssaye but denied driving dangerously. | He admitted driving across the pavement of the Champs Elysees next to Dodi's flat on the Rue Arsene Houssaye but denied driving dangerously. |
| Ian Croxford QC, representing the Ritz Hotel, suggested that Mr Darmon "drove across the pavement in your anxiety to get Mr Rat as quickly as possible to that apartment". | Ian Croxford QC, representing the Ritz Hotel, suggested that Mr Darmon "drove across the pavement in your anxiety to get Mr Rat as quickly as possible to that apartment". |
| Mr Darmon replied: "No, I just wanted to keep distance between what was happening and myself." | Mr Darmon replied: "No, I just wanted to keep distance between what was happening and myself." |
| Speed tests | Speed tests |
| Mr Croxford questioned Mr Darmon's claim that the Mercedes had "taken off like a plane" from traffic lights. | Mr Croxford questioned Mr Darmon's claim that the Mercedes had "taken off like a plane" from traffic lights. |
| The QC said tests by French investigators found that a Honda 650 motorbike such as Mr Darmon's could travel 100 metres in 6.4 seconds from a standing start, reaching 93km/h (57.8mph) with a passenger on the back. | The QC said tests by French investigators found that a Honda 650 motorbike such as Mr Darmon's could travel 100 metres in 6.4 seconds from a standing start, reaching 93km/h (57.8mph) with a passenger on the back. |
| He said similar tests showed a Mercedes S280 took 7.8 seconds to travel the same distance, reaching a speed of 80km/h (49.7mph). | He said similar tests showed a Mercedes S280 took 7.8 seconds to travel the same distance, reaching a speed of 80km/h (49.7mph). |
| "Did you have to slow down to make sure you didn't overtake it?" Mr Croxford asked. | "Did you have to slow down to make sure you didn't overtake it?" Mr Croxford asked. |
| Because of communication between paparazzi around the Ritz, Mr Darmon said there was "no escape" from them for the celebrity couple. | Because of communication between paparazzi around the Ritz, Mr Darmon said there was "no escape" from them for the celebrity couple. |
| The coroner, Lord Justice Scott Baker, informed the jury that none of the paparazzi will be appearing at the inquest to give evidence in person. | The coroner, Lord Justice Scott Baker, informed the jury that none of the paparazzi will be appearing at the inquest to give evidence in person. |
| Jurors were told they would not have to attend court on Friday, while lawyers discussed what to do next. | Jurors were told they would not have to attend court on Friday, while lawyers discussed what to do next. |
| The coroner does not have the power to make anyone outside the UK attend the hearing. | The coroner does not have the power to make anyone outside the UK attend the hearing. |