Bashir alibi on fake bank statements blown apart
DEVASTATING new evidence has left Martin Bashir with questions to answer over his claim he never used forged bank statements to secure his Princess Diana interview, it was claimed yesterday.
A crucial mistake in a timeline has been shown to the inquiry investigating the Panorama programme, apparently undermining the BBC religion editor’s account.
One source claimed Mr Bashir had ‘stitched himself up’ to the investigation, because the date when he maintains the statements were faked has now been proved wrong – by the graphic artist who actually made them.
Former Supreme Court judge Lord Dyson is examining claims Mr Bashir ordered the forgeries in a ‘dirty tricks’ ruse to land his historic interview in 1995.
Mr Bashir is said to admit having the fakes made but denies using them to gain the trust of Diana’s brother.
Lord Spencer has always maintained he only introduced Mr Bashir to his sister after being shown the bank statements.
But the senior BBC journalist is believed to have insisted they were not made until after he had met the princess.
The mystery is at the heart of the scandal. now the Daily Mail can reveal the inquiry has been given crucial evidence that the forgeries were constructed on
August 29 – two days before Lord Spencer met Mr Bashir for the first time.
This date appears to contradict Mr Bashir’s own alleged evidence to the inquiry.
He is believed to have told Lord Dyson the fakes were made after he had a meeting with Diana and her brother, which was on September 19.
Unhelpfully for Mr Bashir, the graphics artist he used to mock up the bank statements – and who the BBC made the fall-guy for the scandal – has now admitted to the inquiry that he mistakenly got his dates wrong.
Matt Weissler initially believed it was October, but it is understood he has now told Lord Dyson this was wrong and it was actually ‘the last couple of days of August’ – before Mr Bashir met Diana.
A source said: ‘It looks as though Bashir has stitched himself up because he has come up with a version of events to Lord Dyson that seems to be based around the October narrative put on the record years ago by the graphics artist.
‘But now the graphics guy has admitted he got the date wrong – which means Bashir’s timeline no longer makes any sense and it appears he’s tied himself in knots. The judge has been shown all of this.’
A second source claimed the date had now been established as Tuesday, August 29, 1995.
Later that same week, on the Thursday, Earl Spencer hosted Mr Bashir at his Althorp home in northamptonshire, the first time they had met. Diana’s brother has told how Mr Bashir showed him bank statements purporting to show his own head of security was receiving payments from papers and MI5.
The journalist allegedly used the documents to gain the earl’s trust and clinch an introduction to Diana. Then, at his subsequent meeting with the princess, he allegedly ‘waved around’ other fake bank statements supposedly showing her own staff were betraying her too.
Yesterday, the Mail revealed jaw-dropping claims that Mr Bashir showed Diana a fake abortion ‘receipt’ for royal nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke – a preposterous slur. He told the princess that Charles was ‘in love’ with William and Harry’s nanny.
Lord Dyson, a former Master of
‘Waved around bank statements’
the Rolls, has been commissioned by the BBC to get to the bottom of the scandal.
Approaching the final month of his six-month investigation, he is understood to have begun writing up his report after interviewing some 17 witnesses.
Another conundrum that Lord Dyson’s inquiry is examining is the burglary Mr Weissler suffered in which the only items stolen were computer disks containing the forged documents.
It is understood a number of witnesses have told the former judge they recall how shaken up the graphic artist was after his flat was raided.
Last night there was no comment from Lord Dyson, Earl Spencer, Mr Weissler or Mr Bashir.
‘He’s tied himself in knots’