Diana inquest jury sent home for night

The jury in the Diana, Princess of Wales inquest have been sent home for the night after it deliberated today for more than six…

The jury in the Diana, Princess of Wales inquest have been sent home for the night after it deliberated today for more than six hours.

Earlier the six women and five men were sent back to their jury room just after 10am by Coroner Lord Justice Scott Baker.

The panel considered whether the crash in the Alma tunnel in Paris in the early hours of August 31, 1997 was an accident, manslaughter on the part of drivers, or unexplained.

The jurors spent four hours and 20 minutes together yesterday after the coroner completed his summing up of the case at the end of a marathon six-month hearing in which more than 250 people gave evidence, either in person or through statements.

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Diana, her lover Dodi Fayed and driver Henri Paul were killed when the Mercedes Mr Paul was driving crashed into the 13th pillar of the tunnel shortly after leaving the Ritz hotel in Paris.

The jury has heard evidence that Mr Paul had been drinking and was going at twice the speed limit for the road, as well as being pursued by paparazzi as they left the hotel.

Dodi’s father, Mohamed al Fayed, has accused the Duke of Edinburgh and MI6 of plotting the crash, something for which the coroner has said there is "not a shred of evidence".