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Marcus Rutherford
Solicitor
Reed Smith Richards Butler LLP
Beaufort House
15 St Botolph Street
London, EC3A 7EE
England
Tel: +44 (0)20 7247 6555
Fax: +44 (0)20 7247 5091
Statement issued by Marcus Rutherford - Solicitor - 17th September 2004
Peter Settelen has secured the return of a copy of a tape of Princess Diana taken by the Metropolitan Police from the original, without his permission.
Following the collapse of the Burrell trial there was a dispute over the ownership of six video tapes which were being held by the police for safekeeping. This dispute was resolved in Peter's favour and the originals were returned to him in July. However unbeknown to him a copy of one of the tapes had been secretly made on the orders of officers investigating the death of Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed.
Yesterday Mr Justice Peter Smith ordered the police to return the copy made and awarded Peter the costs of his application. See: Approved Judgment
“Peter is obviously relieved that he is back in control of these six video tapes and can now concentrate his efforts on discovering the whereabouts of a dozen missing tapes which he believes are unlikely to have been destroyed.
His application would never have been necessary if the police had not chosen to take such a high handed attitude in relation to Peter's legal rights. He has always co-operated with the police and will of course continue to do so in any investigation they are conducting into the death of Diana and Dodi.
At the same time he expects the police to assist him in the recovery of the missing tapes, which he believes were stolen from him.”
Please Note: Peter produced approximately twenty video tapes of his work with Princess Diana in 1992/1993. After Princess Diana's death, six tapes were found in the possession of Paul Burrell, but approximately twelve video tapes remain unaccounted for.
Marcus Rutherford
Statement issued by Marcus Rutherford - Solicitor - 8th September 2004
Peter Settelen has today issued proceedings against the police for the return of a copy of a video tape which was retained by them without his consent.
Peter has been battling for seven years to regain control over his property and when the executors of Princess Diana's Estate decided not to continue to contest the issue of ownership of his video tapes, he was understandably delighted. Six video tapes had, since the collapse of Paul Burrell's trial, been retained by the Metropolitan Police whose role was limited to neutral “safe-keepers”, obliged to hand the tapes to whoever had properly established ownership.
It therefore came as a considerable surprise to Peter to discover that the police had copied and retained one of the tapes without his knowledge or consent. He is left in the position where he has, very reluctantly, had to contemplate issuing proceedings in order to preserve his rights.
Peter believes that there are in the region of 12 -14 other video tapes of the work he did with Princess Diana which are still missing. He remains committed to securing the return of these stolen tapes and had hoped that the police would assist him in that process.
Marcus Rutherford
Statement Issued by Marcus Rutherford - Solicitor - 23rd July 2004
After nearly 7 years struggling to regain possession of his property, Peter is delighted that he the video tape record of the work he did with Princess Diana is back under his control.
He does not intend to engage in any speculation as to what will become of the material, but can confirm that the tapes are held in a secure location away from his home.
No further comment will be made at this stage.
Marcus Rutherford
Statement Issued by Marcus Rutherford - Solicitor - 14th February 2004
Peter has been struggling for 6 years to regain control over videos of his work with Princess Diana, which he firmly believes belong to him.
In the meantime, media speculation about what is on the tapes has grown to a frenzy and what was once private has become (against his will) very much public property and news.
Peter recognises that it is unlikely that the media attention in the work he did with Princess Diana will stop until the tapes themselves are made public.
He still wants to gain control over the tapes which were removed from Paul Burrell's possession by the Metropolitan Police but needs to be able to fund litigation against a family which have resources at their disposal which far exceed his own.
As a result he has been forced to contemplate making available material relating to his work with Diana already in his possession for use in the forthcoming American documentary.
No further comment will be made at this stage.
Marcus Rutherford
