The jury in the Diana inquest have been shown images of Diana’s final moments - taken by photographers who'd followed the car carrying her and Dodi Al Fayed into a Paris tunnel. Witnesses to the fatal car crash in the underpass had already spoken of the shocking scene in which paparazzi took photos of the stricken victims before the arrival of the emergency services, rather than trying to help.
Six female and five male jury members saw images which had been confiscated from photographers, including a photo taken by Romuald Rat, who was one of the first on the scene. The shot showed the Mercedes in the underpass with smoke still pouring from the wreckage.
Another photo had clearly been taken just feet from the mangled car, and showed French doctor Frederick Maillez leaning into the vehicle to administer first aid to the Princess.
Metropolitan Police officer Paul Carpenter talked the jury members through the distressing images taken in the early hours of August 31, 1997. Afterwards Michael Mansfield QC, the barrister representing Harrods boss Mohammed Al Fayed, queried: "It’s perfectly obvious that the paparazzi who were present at the scene of the crash had no compunction about taking photographs of the victims both inside the car and being carried outside the car?". To which the officer replied: "None whatsoever, sir."
In 1999 a French magistrate formally cleared eight photographers and one motorcyclist who were arrested after the crash on suspicion of manslaughter and failing to assist at the scene.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
