Manchester lawyer advises detective in Dodi and Diana’s inquest

A MANCHESTER lawyer is advising one of the senior police officers giving evidence at the new inquest into the deaths of Diana and Dodi Al Fayed. Ian Lewis, partner at Manchester law firm Lewis Hymanson Small, represents the Police Superintendents’ Association (PSA) and is advising retired chief superintendent Jeffrey Rees. Rees was appointed the British/French police liaison officer at the time of Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed deaths ten years ago. A new inquest into the deaths began this month and Jeffrey Rees will be called to give evidence. The inquest at London’s High Court will sit for at least six months and cost more than £10 million. Rees also led the investigation into allegations against Mohammed Al Fayed and others when emeralds worth more than £1m went missing from the late Tiny Rowlands' security box kept at Harrods. Ian Lewis has worked with the PSA for 16 years and during this time, has advised its officers on a number of high profile cases including Stephen Lawrence, Deepcut Barracks and more recently he represented Superintendent Ali Desai. Lewis said: “Our work with the PSA means we are involved in cases that are forming “current” British history. Because of the nature of the rank that we represent we tend to be involved in all the major profile cases.” Ian Lewis is also involved in a number of high profile city fraud cases. The Police Superintendents’ Association of England and Wales represents the interests of more than 1,600 Superintendents and Chief Superintendents.