Judge: There is no evidence of Diana conspiracy

The Diana Inquest coroner said today (31 March) that Mohamed Al Fayed's lawyer, Michael Mansfield QC of Tooks Chambers, had to stop pursuing the Harrods owner's murder theories as they were "without foundation".

Lord Justice Scott Baker in his first day of summing up directed the jury to find one of only five options stating that there was no evidence the Princess and Al Fayed's son Dodi were murdered, during a car crash in Paris in August 1997.

He told the jury, which is expected to be sent out to consider its verdict later this week, that it could find Diana and Dodi died by accident or because of gross negligence by the paparazzi or their driver Henri Paul.

Scott Baker LJ said there is "no evidence" the Duke of Edinburgh ordered Princess Diana's death or that it was organised by MI6 and that many of Al Fayed's theories about the crash were "so demonstrably without foundation" even his lawyer was no longer pursuing them.

"They're not being pursued because there is not a shred of evidence to support them," he said. "Foremost among them is the proposition that Diana was assassinated by the secret intelligence service on the orders of the Duke of Edinburgh.

"There is no evidence that the Duke of Edinburgh ordered Diana's execution, and there is no evidence that the secret intelligence service or any other Government agency organised it."

"There is no doubt those who genuinely believe this to be the case and will continue to do so regardless of any verdict you return," Scott Baker LJ told the jury on the alleged murder. ""You have heard the evidence and it is your decision that matters and not anyone else's.

"You will have been reassured to have heard that Mohamed Al Fayed told you on oath that he will accept your verdict; no doubt the other interested persons will do likewise."

The five options jury told to choose from:

*Unlawful killing by grossly negligent driving of the paparazzi
*Unlawful killing through the gross negligence of Mr Paul
*Unlawful killing by the grossly negligent driving of both the paparazzi and Mr Paul
*A verdict of accidental death if none of the above verdicts are established
*Open verdict