"The coroner has immediately and successfully applied for leave to appeal. The court made clear in its judgment that there was no criticism whatsoever of the coroner. The coroner's immediate concern is to consider the practical implications of implementing the divisional court's ruling," Justice Baker said in a statement.
The Paul family and Ritz lawyers had challenged the decision of Justice Baker that the documentary evidence containing witness statements of the French paparazzi could be read to the jury. The lawyers had objected to transcripts of police interviews with the photographers and other statements being read out to the 11-member jury without being given an opportunity to cross-examine anyone about possible inconsis tencies in the paparazzi accounts. Two high court judges on Tuesday ruled in favour of the challenge and said that documentary evidence should only be used in an inquest if it was not disputed by any of the interested parties. The judges said that if the police officers, who originally took the paparazzi statements, were called as witnesses, there was "no reason" why the policemen could not read the statements out to the jury.