LONDON, Jan 30 (KUNA) — Scientists hired by Mohamed Al-Fayed, to question findings on chauffeur Henri Paul’s blood alcohol levels, concluded he had a drinking problem, the inquest into the death of Princess Diana heard Wednesday.
The High Court jury, in central London, heard that Paul, who was driving the car in which the Princess was killed in 1997, might not have appeared impaired because his body may have built up a tolerance to alcohol through heavy drinking.
Close-circuit TV (CCTV) footage shows Paul on the night of August 30-31, 1997, walking around the Ritz Hotel in Paris apparently unimpaired, even bending over to tie his shoe lace at one point.
But bar receipts from the hotel suggest he purchased two large measures of “Ricard,” a strong aniseed spirit.
Post-mortem tests indicated that he had been about three times over the French drink-drive limit.
The jury heard that such levels would have left an “average man” looking “markedly impaired.” Al-Fayed disputes the findings that Henri Paul had been drinking on the night of the crash.
The Harrods owner, whose son Dodi was killed along with Diana and Paul, believes samples may have been switched at the Paris morgue to cover up a murder plot orchestrated by intelligence services. The proceedings continue.