Spencer aide fears for payout claim after Bashir scandal

THE BBC was accused last night of refusing to pay damages to Earl Spencer’s former head of security whose bank statements were forged on the orders of Martin Bashir.

Alan Waller said he was angry and confused that the BBC was not engaging “in any meaningful way” over his claim for £500,000 compensation.

His dismay has been fuelled by a payment of hundreds of thousands of pounds to Matt Wiessler, the graphic artist who mocked up Mr Waller’s statements on the orders of Bashir.

Bashir used the fake statements to win the trust of Earl Spencer, who introduced him to Diana, Princess of Wales, leading to his interview with her.

Mr Waller said: “My name was dragged through the mud repeatedly by Bashir. And yet there has been no meaningful engagement by the BBC.”

Bashir used the mocked up statements as evidence that Mr Waller was receiving money from both a tabloid newspaper and the security services to spy on Earl Spencer and the princess. The claims were false. Bashir asked Mr Wiessler to fake the bank statements showing mocked up payments which he then showed to Earl Spencer.

Lawyers for Mr Waller have offered to settle all claims against the corporation for £495,000. Mr Waller said: “The BBC has not accepted this [my claim]. Equally, they have not engaged with us in any meaningful way nor offered to do so. Instead, they have indicated that they wish to stretch matters out to the next level, which of course, if the matter has to go to court, will incur massive legal costs.”

An independent review conducted by Lord Dyson concluded that Bashir had acted with deceit in gaining the interview and prompted the journalist to resign as the BBC’S religion editor.

A BBC source said the corporation was working through a number of claims. The corporation has declined to comment on specific cases.