BBC pays security boss over smear to gain Diana scoop

THE BBC has paid damages to Earl Spencer’s former head of security over the faking of his bank statements that was used to obtain an interview with Diana, Princess of Wales.

Alan Waller is understood to have received about £60,000 from the BBC more than 25 years after disgraced Panorama reporter Martin Bashir used the fake statements to gain the trust of Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer.

As a result, Earl Spencer introduced Bashir to his sister, leading to the world exclusive interview in 1995 in which Diana declared that her husband Charles, then Prince of Wales, had cheated on her, referring to his relationship to Camilla Parker-bowles.

The payment to Mr Waller brings to an end a series of settlements made by the BBC to victims of Bashir’s deceit.

In total, the corporation has paid out in the region of £2.7 million that includes £1.5million to charities chosen by Prince William and Prince Harry.

A report by Lord Dyson, published last year, found the BBC was aware of Bashir’s duplicity but had covered it up to protect its own reputation. The Dyson review cost £1.4million, bringing the BBC’S bill to more than £4million. With legal expenses, the final cost to licence fee payers is likely to exceed £5million.