Princess Diana verdict: Al Fayed considers legal challenge

Published on Tuesday 8 April 2008 10:11

MOHAMED al Fayed's spokesman has claimed the jury was not allowed to hear all the evidence into how Diana, Princess of Wales died.

Michael Cole told GMTV today that Mr al Fayed was "considering his options" after the verdict at the end of the six-month inquest.

The 11 jurors decided Diana and Dodi Fayed were unlawfully killed by the "gross negligence" of their drunken driver and the paparazzi.

They rejected claims by Mr al Fayed that the crash in Paris was the result of an elaborate murder plot involving the Duke of Edinburgh and the secret services.

Mr al Fayed had previously said he would abide by the verdict of the inquest jury. But Mr Cole said: "When he made that declaration, it was on the assumption that the jury would be allowed to hear everything. They weren't."

He said the jury had not been allowed to consider the verdict of murder and had not heard evidence from either the Queen or the Duke of Edinburgh.

He said Mr al Fayed would be considering his options this morning, after discussions with his family and lawyers. He is said to be considering a legal challenge to the verdict.

"He had no way of knowing that so many key French witnesses would refuse to come forward," Mr Cole added.

Princes William and Harry have issued a statement saying they "agreed" with the verdicts and thanking the jury for their "thorough" deliberations.

The ex-chief of the Metropolitan Police, Lord Stevens, who investigated their deaths, has called for the conspiracy theories to be "laid to rest".