Mohamed Al Fayed’s former head of security lied about how much alcohol Princess Diana’s driver Henri Paul had drunk, her inquest heard yesterday (14.02.08).
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John Macnamara – sent to Paris after the crash that killed Diana and Al Fayed’s son Dodi in the early hours of August 31, 1997 – found driver Paul had two Ricards on the evening of August 30.
But the former top police officer had previously told a US TV programme he drank pineapple juice. He also told the jury at London’s High Court his claims that Diana was pregnant when she died were based on what a journalist told him.
Coroner Lord Justice Scott Baker said to Macnamara: “If you are telling lies on some occasions, how can they (the jury) tell if you are telling the truth on others?”
He then asked him: “As a former Chief Superintendent surely you, above anybody, are aware of the importance of telling the truth in public?”
Macnamara replied: “Yes.”
He then told the jury: “I have come here to tell the truth”.
Macnamara was asked about two allegations he made regarding Diana in his witness statement, issued on July 3, 2006. He admitted that he now had no evidence to support his then “firm belief” that Diana had phoned friends to tell them of her intended engagement to Dodi. He also admitted that his belief Diana was pregnant at the time of her death was based upon a conversation with a journalist.
Al Fayed has always claimed Diana and Dodi were killed by the British establishment as they were about to announce their engagement and she was pregnant. Earlier at the inquest, Lord Stevens called for an apology after his report into the crash was criticised.
The former Metropolitan Police Chief denied “scurrilous accusations” that he had not done his job properly when overseeing the Operation Paget report into the princess’ death which ruled it had been a “tragic accident”.
