Crash survivor stays silent over Stevens report

The sole survivor of the crash which killed Diana, Princess of Wales kept silent today as the official police report into her death was unveiled.

Bodyguard Trevor Rees, formerly known as Trevor Rees-Jones, appealed to be left in peace, nearly a decade on from the tragic events of 1997.

The former paratrooper broke every bone in his face and suffered terrible chest and head injuries in the crash.

He was employed by Dodi Fayed's father Mohamed al Fayed as a Harrods security worker and was in the front seat of the Mercedes and the only passenger to survive.

Solicitors for Mr Rees said: "Following the publication of Lord Stevens' Report into the deaths of the late Diana, Princess of Wales and the late Dodi Fayed, Trevor Rees will not be making any comment upon the contents of the report, or as to the ongoing inquests.

"Trevor asks that the privacy of he and his family be respected at this time."

Initially Mr Rees had no recollection of what happened, but later regained some memories.

Because he is not related to Diana or Dodi, Mr Rees was not entitled to see the findings of Lord Stevens' report in advance.

Although a largely private figure, he did publish a book, The Bodyguard's Story, in 2000, in which he rejected conspiracy theories about the accident.

After the crash he was haunted by the guilt of his survival and would wake suddenly in the night as memories of what happened ran through his mind.

Mr Rees later acrimoniously split from his former employer Mr al Fayed,

He returned to Oswestry, on the North Wales border, and changed his surname name back to Rees after divorcing his first wife.

After years rebuilding his body and life, he married teacher Ann Scott in 2002.

In 2004 it was reported he was working as a security expert in war-torn Iraq.