Michael Mansfield QC, one of the nation’s most eminent legal brains, believes the deaths in the Alma Tunnel in 1997 were the result of a carefully orchestrated plan by unnamed parties to end the relationship. Whether the intent had been to kill or seriously injure was immaterial, he said, as the perpetrators should still be prosecuted for murder. He said: “I never thought it was an accident and the jury in the inquest came back with a verdict of ‘unlawful killing’. “From a personal point of view I think there was a plan, and the plan was to disrupt and terminate the relationship between Diana and Dodi and that was going to be achieved – because things were escalating very fast in August of that year – by some kind of incident which would be violent.” During that summer, Diana and Dodi had been enjoying a leisurely sunshine break on the Fayed family yacht together. They are also said to have examined engagement rings. But Mr Mansfield believes the plot to split them up had gone further than was planned.
“In other words, as she (Diana) herself predicted that she might suffer serious injury in a car crash. I don’t think those who planned such events necessarily wanted the people dead. But that does not mean that it is not murder. Because if I have a plan which results in really serious harm, such as from a car crash, although I might not want you dead but you end up dead, you are liable to be prosecuted and convicted for murder. Because there are two types of intent for murder, one is the intention to kill and the other is the intention to do really serious harm. “I don’t personally believe they wanted them dead but they wanted to end the relationship by a serious accident and in that case they still can be prosecuted for murder as there was an intent of at least really serious harm.”
But Mr Mansfield, who has examined the case in fine detail, said those who carried out the plot remained the “unknown quantity” ... read more ...