Letter from Mr Timothy O'Sullivan to the
Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards
Thank you for your letter of 27 January about
Neil Hamilton, Mohamed Al-Fayed and The Guardian.
My recollection of these matters remains exact
and vivid. I have no amendments, additions or changes to make
to the statement I gave to Ruth Collard at Messrs Peter Carter-Ruck.
Timothy O'Sullivan
28 January 1997
I, TIMOTHY FRANCIS O'SULLIVAN of 8 Watchbell
Street, Rye, East Sussex TN31 7HA will say as follows:
1. I am a writer. I have published a number
of books, chiefly of a historical or biographical nature.
2. In 1987-88 I was planning a book about the
Royal Household and royal servants in particular. The latter
were to include Sidney Johnson, who had been butler to the Duke
and Duchess of Windsor for many years, and who had continued
to work for Mohamed Al-Fayed, after Mr Al-Fayed had acquired the
Windsors' Paris house, there and at his flat in London. I was
aware that Neil Hamilton, who has been a friend of mine for at
least 15 years, knew Mohamed Al-Fayed and I asked Neil if he
could arrange for me to meet Sidney Johnson. A meeting was duly
arranged for 24 May 1988 at Mr Al-Fayed's flat at 60 Park Lane,
at noon. Sidney Johnson talked to Neil and I about his life and
work with the Windsors, and answered questions. I can confirm
the date as I still have my 1988 appointments diary, which records
this. Mr Al-Fayed was not present.
3. Talking a while later to Neil about Sidney
Johnson and Mr Al-Fayed, we discussed the fact that there could
be very interesting books to be written about
(1) the Paris Ritz;
(2) the Windsors' Paris house and
(3) Harrods.
Neil mentioned these ideas to Mr Al-Fayed and
presently he invited Neil and me to Harrods for a preliminary
discussion. My appointments diary records that this meeting took
place on Monday 20 February 1989. Neil and I went to Mr Al-Fayed's
office at Harrods where the meeting began shortly after 5 p.m.
We had an amicable and animated discussion, in which I did most
of the talking. At the end, I gave Mr Al-Fayed a copy of a biography
of Thomas Hardy, the most successful of my books up to that time.
4. Throughout the time we spent at Harrods,
Neil and I were constantly in each other's company. In particular,
Neil was not at any time alone with Mr Al-Fayed. Mr Al-Fayed did
not at any time during the visit give Neil any money, whether
in the form of cash, cheques or otherwise. Nor did Mr Al-Fayed
give Neil any vouchers. In fact, I do not believe any papers
passed between those at the meeting other than the book I have
previously mentioned.
5. The contents of this Statement are true to
the best of my knowledge and belief.
Timothy Francis
O'Sullivan
26 June 1995
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