Henri Paul

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Henri Paul (born July 3, 1956 in Lorient , † August 31, 1997 in Paris ) was the driver of the Mercedes S280 with which Diana, Princess of Wales had an accident on August 31, 1997 . As the senior vice security chief of the Hôtel Ritz , Paul was already out of service that evening, but was called back and finally got into the situation of chauffeuring Diana and Dodi Al-Fayed . The car crashed at excessive speed in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel , only the bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones survived.

Conspiracy theories emerged as a result of the accident. The official French and British investigations saw the main responsibility with Paul, who had been under the influence of alcohol , was taking drugs that could possibly affect his ability to drive, and who subsequently drove recklessly.

Personal background

Henri Paul was one of five sons of Jean Paul and Gisèle Paul. He obtained the Baccalauréat . He received his private pilot license in 1976. Aviation was a passionate hobby of his. In 1979 he had done his year of military service. Between 1983 and 1986 he was employed in Paris and sold sailing boats. He owned a Yamaha Vmax motorcycle which he used in his spare time for trips in his native Brittany . Privately, he drove a small car ( Mini ).

The medical certificate

Three days before the car accident, Paul passed the mandatory annual pilot physical exam, which usually includes tests for any alcohol problem (including blood and liver tests). Paul's parents claimed that these tests revealed if he had had serious drinking problems. The original Certificat d'aptitude physique et mental was shown in 1998 in the ZDF broadcast Diana - Secrets of the Night of Death . As part of Operation Paget , the Europe-wide standards for medical certificates that came into force in 1997 were determined. It turned out that private pilots did not have a specific medical test for alcoholism and that a self-declaration of alcohol problems was required by the respective pilot. Paul did not report alcohol problems; the flight doctor who had carried out the examination of Paul also found none. However, Paul was stipulated in his medical certificate that he always wear glasses because of his ametropia.

professional background

He was hired in 1986 for the in-house security service of the Hôtel Ritz. A friend who worked for the local police had once recommended him. Paul made it to the position of deputy chief of security, and dealt with the handling of the procedures of the security department. After the security chief Jean Henri Hocquet resigned in June 1997, his successor also vacated the post shortly thereafter. Paul, on the other hand, was out of the question as head of security - although he was suitable, he never aspired to the position - which is why he only took over the tasks of the now vacant position on an interim basis. This resulted in additional workload for him, which was sometimes associated with stress.

In the past, Paul took part in at least four special driver training courses from Mercedes-Benz. He had no government approval, a special license called the Grande Remise , which was required by law to chauffeur a rented limousine. Chauffeuring people was not part of his official duties.

accident

Paul tried to escape the paparazzi who chased the car at extremely high speed when the black Mercedes S280 he was driving (registration number 688 LTV 75) drove head-on into the 13th central pillar of the Pont de l'Alma tunnel supports. Paul's blood alcohol concentration was subsequently determined to be between 1.73 g / L and 1.75 g / L (⪆0.17% mass / vol.) - a value that is more than three times the limit for intoxicated driving under French law . Paul's parents denied the authenticity and accuracy of the test results, as did Dodi's father, Mohamed Al-Fayed .

French investigation

Paul's friends testified to the French police that even after having a few more drinks than usual at social occasions, he did not look like a drunk. In her statement to the French police, the doctor Dominique Mélo, with whom he had been friends for decades since his school days, said that Paul drank like everyone else, but not in excess. He had shown neither the clinical signs nor the behavior of a chronic alcoholic.

Dr. Mélo further stated that Paul had periods of depression in the two years before his death - due to the end of a long-term relationship - and sometimes drank alone at home. She didn't think he was addicted to alcohol. Paul was particularly concerned about this, however: he was troubled by the idea that one day he might become completely addicted to alcohol. From June 1996, she therefore prescribed Noctamid for him, and an anti-alcohol drug called Aotal ( acamprosate ) and Tiapridal to stabilize him . In March 1997, she also prescribed Prozac , which Paul had previously obtained from another doctor. She also said that Paul sometimes did not take his medication to allow him to drink moderate amounts of alcohol on social occasions.

The analyzed blood samples did not contain any traces of Aotal and Noctamid. The antidepressant Prozac and traces of the neuroleptic Tiapridal were detected. At autopsy, his liver was found to be apparently normal. A prescription drug called Zentel ( albendazole ), which is used to treat worm infections, was found in samples of Paul’s hair . Where he got this preparation from is unknown.

British investigation

The operation Paget presented the authenticity of the post-mortem blood tests by DNA comparisons determined the blood samples in question, where a DNA profile was compared it with that of Paul's mother. The test results indicated a maternal relationship between the profiles with a probability of 99.9997% and above. The unusual CO value of his blood sample was of the body from which it was removed attributed and the densely built-up urban area , where he lived, and less smoking cigarillos in the hours before his death. An expert explained that the analyzers used in 1997 to determine CO levels were not designed for post-mortem examinations.

It turned out that John Stevens had a meeting with Paul's parents in November 2006 and had told them their son was not drunk and it was found that he had indisputably had two alcoholic drinks. Five weeks later one could read in the published investigation report that Paul was twice above the permitted British limit (0.8 per mille) and three times above the French limit (0.5 per mille). One expert estimated that Paul had drank the equivalent of 5-8 glasses of Ricard before the trip.

In the British investigation in February 2008, Stevens denied that Paul's parents had been deliberately misled and explained the apparent contradiction in his statements by saying that Paul did not meet the usual definition of a drunk, which depends on observable physical behavior. Nevertheless, he was clearly under the influence of alcohol and was unfit to drive .

Contact with paparazzi

In previously unpublished video surveillance footage that was shown to the jury during the British investigation on October 4, 2007, Henri Paul can be seen on the night of the accident waving to the photographer. Inspector Carpenter confirmed that Paul waved to the photographer a few minutes before the couple left. He also said that a photographer was in contact with fellow paparazzi near where the couple later left the hotel. This allegedly raises doubts about the long-held belief that the group of paparazzi waiting in front of the hotel acted on their own, without any help from the hotel.

conspiracy theories

Involvement with national secret service

In the years following his death, allegations have been made about Paul concerning his alleged involvement with French intelligence or those in the United Kingdom. These allegations were also investigated by the Metropolitan Police as part of Operation Paget , led by John Stevens and which lasted nearly 3 years. Chapter 4 of the investigation report consistently deals with the allegations against Henri Paul.

The conclusions of the report published in 2006 were that Paul's cooperation with the French secret service was limited to basic cooperation with the French DST when high-ranking guests stayed at the Hôtel Ritz. He received no financial compensation for these services. It was also noted that such cooperation with national secret services was common among senior security personnel in luxury hotels in major world cities.

Personal financial situation

After Paul's death, it was found that he was in possession of a large amount of money. He had amassed a handsome personal fortune, spread over 15 separate bank accounts, that far exceeded his expected income. It has been suggested that the money may have come from an illicit source, possibly from a national secret service.

According to his best friend Claude Garrec, the 12,565 francs (equivalent to around 1,800 euros) in cash that Paul carried on the night of the accident was due to the fact that in his professional life it was necessary to make expenses for wealthy hotel guests if necessary. A large amount of cash is always at hand for spontaneous errands, as rich people are known for often not having cash with them. Paul also received generous tips for completing such assignments. His mother mentioned an occasion when Paul received 5,000 francs as a tip from a family member of an Arab prince for buying some luxury clothing.

Operation Paget concluded that the cash and balance in his bank was unlikely to have come from any national intelligence agency. Nor was there any evidence of any obfuscation of cash flows from a secret source in his bank accounts. Paul's personal fortune was estimated at approximately 1,700,000 francs . He also owned a condominium which he rented out. He was also a 41-year-old bachelor with no maintenance obligations who had worked virtually his entire adult life. The larger number of bank accounts in which he had distributed his money was not unusual in France, as banks there usually open several accounts for different purposes, all of which belong to the same customer.

Individual evidence

  1. a b Operation Paget Report (PDF, 3.8 MB) 155. BBC , accessed on 8 June 2018th
  2. Coroner's inquests into the Deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales and Mr Dodi Fayed - Hearing transcript, October 3, 2007 , Section 22, The National Archives , accessed on 10 June 2018th
  3. a b Operation Paget Report, pp. 161–165.
  4. See photography from the Certificat d'aptitude physique et mental Daily Mirror , accessed on June 7, 2018.
  5. Operation Paget Report, pp. 176 & 373.
  6. Operation Paget Report, p. 175.
  7. ^ Operation Paget Report, p. 159.
  8. Coroner's Inquests into the Deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales and Mr Dodi Al Fayed - Hearing Transcripts, December 5, 2007 , Section 31. The National Archives, accessed January 21, 2020.
  9. Coroner's Inquests into the Deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales and Mr Dodi Al Fayed - Hearing Transcripts, November 29, 2007 , Section 46. The National Archives, accessed January 21, 2020.
  10. Operation Paget Report, p. 159. ("[...] that even though he had the professional and intellectual qualities, he never wanted the job of Head of Security.")
  11. ^ Operation Paget Report, p. 158.
  12. Operation Paget Report, p. 174. ("[...] Henri Paul spent hours on the telephone to work, did not relax much and appeared a little stressed.")
  13. Operation Paget Report, p. 158 f. & 163 f.
  14. Family of Diana Crash Driver Speak of Their Legal Battle BBC, accessed May 1, 2017.
  15. ^ Fayed joins Diana crash action BBC News , accessed May 1, 2017.
  16. Operation Paget Report, pp. 166-170.
  17. Operation Paget Report, p. 156.
  18. ^ Operation Paget Report, p. 168.
  19. Operation Paget Report, p. 156 f.
  20. a b Operation Paget Report, p. 171 f. & 177.
  21. Coroner's inquests into the Deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales and Mr Dodi Fayed - Hearing transcript, March 17th 2008 , Section 115. The National Archives, accessed on 26 October 2018th
  22. Coroner's inquests into the Deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales and Mr Dodi Fayed - Hearing transcript, March 17th 2008, Section 116. The National Archives, accessed on 26 October 2018th
  23. Operation Paget Report, p. 364 f.
  24. ^ Operation Paget Report, p. 373.
  25. Operation Paget Report, p. 365.
  26. Operation Paget Report, p. 344 f.
  27. ^ Operation Paget Report, p. 355.
  28. ^ Operation Paget Report, pp. 373-380.
  29. Coroner's inquests into the Deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales and Mr Dodi Fayed - Hearing Transcripts 22 January, 2008. Section 27-28. The National Archives, accessed October 26, 2018.
  30. a b Lord Stevens demands apology for Al Fayed allegations 'that he failed to properly investigate Diana's death' Evening Standard , accessed May 1, 2017.
  31. Operation Paget Report, p. 367 f.
  32. Coroner's inquests into the Deaths of Diana Princess of Wales and Mr Dodi Al Fayed - Hearing transcript, January 21st 2008 , Section 100-101. The National Archives, accessed October 23, 2017.
  33. Diana's driver alerted paparazzi video of last minutes shows The Guardian , accessed on May 1, 2017th
  34. a b Pictures from a surveillance camera show Henri Paul signaling the waiting paparazzi shortly before the journey to death , BZ , accessed on August 31, 2017.
  35. Were paparazzi given a tip-off by Henri Paul? Daily Express , accessed May 1, 2017.
  36. Princess Diana's driver 'tipped off paparazzi' The Daily Telegraph , accessed May 1, 2017
  37. Operation Paget Report, pp. 150-389.
  38. ^ Operation Paget Report, p. 383.
  39. Operation Paget Report, pp. 177-187.