The former butler of Britain’s late Princess Diana has held crisis talks in a bid to avoid being questioned in court about lying at the inquest into her death.
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Paul Burrell – who has been asked to return to the High Court after footage was released of him admitting he had not told the whole truth during his testimony – has instructed his legal team to do everything they can to make sure he does not have to take the stand again.
A source told The Sun: “He asked if he can instead give evidence via video-link because he’s terrified of facing the court again. If he has it his way he won’t turn up at all.”
Coroner Lord Justice Scott Baker does not have the power to force Burrell, who now lives in Florida, to return to the UK.
However, he can pass the video footage of his revelations to police, who may arrest the ex-butler for perjury next time he enters the country – an offence which carries a maximum 10-year jail term.
In the tape, filmed in a New York hotel meeting, Burrell can be heard saying: “When you swear an oath, you have to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I told the truth as far as I could – but I don’t tell the whole truth. Perjury is not a nice thing to have to contemplate.
“I was very naughty and I made a couple of red herrings, and I couldn’t help doing it. I know you shouldn’t play with justice and I know it’s illegal and I realise how serious it is.”
Princess Diana was killed in a Paris car crash in 1997, along with her lover Dodi Fayed and driver Henri Paul.
