London - Mr Neil Hamilton yesterday admitted to feeling ashamed about going "over the top a bit" when he and his wife Christine stayed at the Paris Ritz at Mr Mohamed Al Fayed's expense.
Cross-examined by Mr George Carman QC, for the Harrods boss, the former Tory minister said that they were not proud of the extent to which they made "depredations" into the food and wine at the "grande luxe" hotel.
Mr Carman has told Mr Justice Morland and the jury in the "cash for questions" libel action that the couple enjoyed a free room for their six-night stay but also ran up a bill for extras which would today cost £3,238.