The case against former royal butler Mr Paul Burrell has been dropped after he was found not guilty of three charges of stealing from the estate of Diana, Princess of Wales, the Prince of Wales and Prince William.
Former butler to Britain's Princess Diana, Paul Burrell, arrives atthe Old Bailey in London, November 1, 2002. The trial of Paul Burrell,accused of stealing 310 items from the late Princess's estate,collapsed on Friday after he was found not guilty on all three theftcharges.
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Former butler to Britain's Princess Diana, Paul Burrell, arrives at the Old Bailey in London, November 1, 2002. The trial of Paul Burrell, accused of stealing 310 items from the late Princess's estate, collapsed this morning after he was found not guilty on all three theft charges.
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The trial came to a premature end because of the sudden involvement of the Queen and the Prince of Wales.
It emerged Mr Burrell told her he had been keeping items belonging to Diana, Princess of Wales, for safe keeping.
After hearing submissions from the prosecution and defence, the judge, Mrs Justice Rafferty, instructed that Mr Burrell was not guilty on all three counts of theft.
She discharged the jury in its absence in the third week of the trial and told Mr Burrell he was free to go. Mr Burrell left the courtroom surrounded by his lawyers and police without comment.
The trial was halted when it emerged that Mr Burrell had told the Queen in a private conversation following Diana's death that he had kept some of the princess's possessions for safe keeping, according to prosecution barrister William Boyce QC.
Mr Boyce said the prosecution had been brought on the basis that Mr Burrell had not told anyone that he had kept items belonging to the princess.
It did not emerge until after the trial had started that Mr Burrell had spoken to the Queen, Mr Boyce said.
PA