BBC News Online: UK

Charges dropped over Dodi child claim

Diane Holliday, 37, of Little Saxham, Suffolk, had been questioned by Metropolitan Police detectives investigating an alleged financial deception.

But a Metropolitan Police spokesman said that on the advice of Crown Prosecution Service lawyers the case against Ms Holliday had been dropped.

Ms Holliday, who is divorced with two teenage children, was arrested by Scotland Yard detectives in February - shortly she told newspapers of her involvement with Dodi Fayed.

She said Mr Fayed, who died in the Paris car crash which claimed the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, in August last year, was the father of her daughter Marni, who will be two in November.

Ms Holliday said she had a five-month secret affair with Mr Fayed while he was also romantically involved with the princess.

She said her daughter had been given up for adoption in the United States shortly after being born in November 1996.

DNA 'evidence'

Her claims were dismissed by Mr Fayed's father, Mohammed Al Fayed, the owner of Harrods.

Ms Holliday claimed she had DNA evidence which would prove her claim.

Scotland Yard has never given any details about the deception allegations made against Ms Holliday.

Ms Holliday has appeared before magistrates in Ipswich, Suffolk, in recent weeks in relation to a separate allegation.

She is accused of wasting police time and was charged after alleging that she had been attacked at Coddenham, Suffolk. Ms Holliday denies the charge.

In this section

Next steps for peace
Blairs' surprise over baby
Bowled over by Lord's
Beef row 'compromise' under fire
Hamilton 'would sell mother'
Industry misses new trains target
Quins fightback shocks Cardiff (From Sport)
Vodafone takeover battle heats up (From Business)
IRA ceasefire challenge rejected
Thousands celebrate Asian culture
Christie could get two-year ban (From Sport)
Colleagues remember Compo (From Entertainment)
Mother pleads for baby's return
Toys withdrawn in E.coli health scare
Nurses role set to expand (From Health)
Israeli PM's plane in accident
More lottery cash for grassroots
Pro-lifers plan shock launch
Double killer gets life
Cold 'cure' comes one step closer (From Health)
Straw on trial over jury reform (From UK Politics)
Tatchell calls for rights probe into Mugabe
Ex-spy stays out in the cold
Blair warns Livingstone (From UK Politics)
Smear equipment `misses cancers' (From Health)
Boyzone star gets in Christmas spirit (From Entertainment)
Fake bubbly warning
Murder jury hears dead girl's diary
Germ warfare fiasco revealed (From UK Politics)
Blair babe triggers tabloid frenzy
Tourists shot by mistake
A new look for News Online