Diana 'comfort' man exposed as career criminal

Abdelatif Redjil told the 2007 inquest into her death in a car crash he was with her as she uttered her final words in the back of her crashed Mercedes in a Paris road tunnel in the early hours of August 31, 1997.

Giving evidence at the High Court, he said she repeated "My God, My God", while he told her not to worry.

But reports in France quote police sources questioning the veracity of his evidence, and revealing he was prosecuted for handling three stolen works by Picasso valued at 50 million euros (43m).

Known as "the locksmith" for his ability to open locks without leaving any traces, he managed to escape during his trial and went on to commit a series of cash machine robberies, it was reported.

But he was re-arrested and taken into custody last Wednesday, before being jailed in the French capital on Friday.