Diana Judge Appointed To Appeal Court

The British judge who finally brought the curtain down on the death of Princess Diana, presiding over the 2007/2008 London inquest which determined there was not “not a shred of evidence” to suggest the former wife of Prince Charles and companion Dodi Fayed died in a Paris car accident as a result of a conspiracy, has been appointed to the Bermuda Court of Appeal.

Governor Sir Richard Gozney approved the appointment of Sir Scott Baker as a Justice of Appeal of the Court of Appeal of Bermuda with effect from January 2,  following the retirement of Mr. Justice Gerald Nazareth.

Sir Scott was sworn in by Sir Richard at Government House today [Feb.28] at a ceremony attended by the President of the Appeal Court Edward Zacca,  Attorney General Michael Scott and others. The Governor believes that “Bermuda is again fortunate to have secured the services of an eminent Judge as the new member of the Appeal Court.”

Sir Scott was called to the Bar at the Middle Temple in 1961 and became a Queen’s Counsel in 1978. He was appointed a Recorder of the Crown Court in 1976 and became a judge of the High Court in 1988. He was Presiding Judge of the Wales and Chester Circuit from 1991 to 1995. He was promoted in 2002 to Lord Justice of Appeal. He was appointed as Assistant Deputy Coroner for Inner West London for the purposes of hearing the inquests into the deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales and Dodi Al Fayed.

The jury at the Princess Diana inquest  ruled on April 7, 2007 that she and Dodi Fayed were unlawfully killed by grossly negligent driving. The six women and five men singled out chauffeur Henri Paul’s drink-driving and the pursuing paparazzi as a contributory factor to the fatal crash in the Alma Tunnel on August 31, 1997 in Paris.

The panel also said the fact the couple were not wearing seatbelts contributed to their deaths.

The jury had previously heard evidence that Mr Paul, who also died in the accident, was going at twice the speed limit for the road when he crashed. But the Mercedes was also pursued by photographers when it left the Paris Ritz hotel minutes earlier.

The jury concluded that the photographers were recklessly “racing” the Mercedes and drove so close that Mr Paul had no freedom to move.

In a statement released after the inquest, Princess Diana’s sons Prince William and Prince Harry said: “We agree with the verdicts, and are both hugely grateful to each and every one of the jury for the forbearance they have shown in accepting such significant disruption to their lives over the past six months.

“Both of us are much indebted to the coroner, Lord Justice Scott Baker, for his unfailing courtesy, and for all the consideration shown by him and his staff not only to us but to all those involved in this hearing.

Dodi Fayed”s father, Egyptian business tycoon Mohamed Al Fayed, accused both the British secret service and the Duke of Edinburgh of plotting to murder the couple.

Sir Scott ruled there was no evidence to back up the claims and disallowed any verdict which could point to a murder plot.

There was laughter in court after the decision was returned when Sir Scott told jury they would be excused jury service for the rest of their lives.

He thanked them for their “considerable devotion” to duty during the six-month inquest, saying it was “almost astonishing” they had been present every day without any absences.

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