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Prince Harry has alleged that Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) engaged in malicious journalism, following a ruling by a High Court judge that he was a target of phone hacking. He has been awarded compensation in his ongoing clash with the press.
The previous editor, Piers Morgan, who was mentioned in the ruling, has denied any involvement in phone hacking. He has also strongly criticized the prince, accusing him of trying to dismantle the British monarchy.
“I have consistently stated for many years that I have never hacked a phone or instructed anyone else to do so. Furthermore, no one has presented any concrete evidence to support these accusations.”
After reviewing evidence from royal author Omid Scobie, the judge found that Mr Morgan had knowledge of voicemail interception and had given permission for its use in a story about Kylie Minogue.
Prince Harry was one of four individuals chosen to have their case heard after he filed a lawsuit against MGN for obtaining information through illegal methods, such as using private investigators or deceiving to gather information.
Judge Fancourt determined that 15 out of 33 articles were the result of hacking. He also found that the prince’s personal phone was intentionally accessed between 2003 and 2009. As a result, the prince was awarded £140,600 for the distress this caused.
During a brief court session at the Royal Courts of Justice, it was determined that there was widespread phone hacking occurring at the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, and Sunday People from 2006 to 2011.
Some of the main findings are:
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The act of gathering forbidden information was prevalent at the publications and had even persisted to a certain degree during the Leveson inquiry on media ethics.
- of unlawful activity
Out of the 51 private investigators employed, 11 were utilized to a great extent by the publisher to conduct frequent and extensive illegal actions. Additionally, another 13 investigators were involved in a considerable amount of unlawful activity.
- Mr Morgan said he had “zero knowledge” of hacking, and launched a scathing attack on Prince Harry, claiming he “wouldn’t know the truth if it slapped him in his Californian-tanned face”
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MGN has issued a full apology, while the Duke has asked the Metropolitan Police to conduct an investigation.
Prince Harry accompanied by his legal representative, David Sherborne.
According to Mr. Justice Fancourt, after reviewing the evidence, it was discovered that 15 of the articles were created through hacking his phone or that of his colleagues. However, this was done in a limited manner and was closely monitored by specific individuals at each newspaper.
He granted compensation for the emotional suffering caused by the articles, as well as the specific pain and indignation felt by the duke.
The prince was the first member of the royal family in 130 years to testify during the seven-week trial. He accused the newspapers of engaging in widespread hacking activities.
According to Piers Morgan, he had absolutely no understanding of phone hacking.
The case was collectively heard with related allegations made by actor Michael Turner, also known as Michael Le Vell from Coronation Street, actress Nikki Sanderson, and Fiona Wightman, former spouse of comedian Paul Whitehouse.
All of the individuals making claims had alleged that top editors and executives at MGN had authorized this conduct, with Mr. Morgan being referenced multiple times during the legal proceedings.
During his ruling, Mr Justice Fancourt mentioned the testimony of Mr Scobie, who stated that he saw Mr Morgan being informed about phone hacking while interning on the entertainment desk. The incident involved singer Kylie Minogue and her former partner James Gooding.
The judge stated that Mr Scobie was a truthful and trustworthy witness and that he believed his account of Mr Morgan’s involvement in the Minogue/Gooding story. MGN did not present any evidence to dispute this.
Prince Harry has been granted a sum of £140,600 as compensation for the emotional harm caused by the act of illegally accessing his phone.
Harry alleged that 140 articles published in MGN newspapers were a product of phone hacking or other illegal actions. However, the court proceedings only focused on 33 of these articles, which featured stories about his athletic injuries, drug use, and past romantic involvement with ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy.
Harry is filing three separate phone-hacking claims against British newspapers. He stated that as a teenager and in his twenties, he developed feelings of paranoia and distrust as a result.
In regards to a narrative where a photo of him with the late TV host Caroline Flack was released, he stated: “The significance of these types of stories on my relationships cannot be overstated. Even those I had faith in, I began to question.”
The duke and his wife, Meghan Markle, have initiated numerous legal disputes since their move to California.
A representative for the Metropolitan Police stated that they will thoroughly review the civil ruling made by the High Court today. They also confirmed that there is currently no active investigation.
During his two-day testimony, Harry expressed that he would feel a sense of injustice if the judge determined that his phone was not hacked by reporters from Mirror group.
MGN refuted the accusations and asserted that none of the articles in question were a result of phone hacking. Although the publisher admitted to some unlawful behavior related to the duke and issued an apology, it denied most of the claims.
Andrew Green, the barrister for MGN, acknowledged that the company had unlawfully accessed the voicemails of several other famous individuals in the early 2000s. However, he maintained that there was no concrete evidence to suggest that the prince was among those targeted.
Harry alleged that the publisher had illegally accessed his voicemails from his previous relationship with Chelsy Davy.
Mr. Justice Fancourt determined that it was unlikely that his phone was not intentionally accessed, as it was common for hacking and illegal gathering of information to occur during that period.
The duke has been a prominent figure in town for a significant portion of his life and continues to hold this position, according to his written statement.
“The idea that MGN carefully eschewed in his case what had become a primary journalistic tool – which it otherwise used on a widespread and habitual basis – is unconvincing.”
Outside of the court, Prince Harry’s attorney, Mr. Sherbourne, stated that the path to justice can often be slow and difficult. He also pointed out that individuals in positions of authority, including Piers Morgan, were aware of the hacking that took place.
from News Group Newspapers
Michael Turner, who is professionally known as Michael Le Vell, was also granted compensation from News Group Newspapers.
He stated that although “defeating dragons may lead to harm”, he reiterated his commitment to creating a trustworthy media.
Mr Justice Fancourt dismissed the claims made by Ms Sanderson and Ms Wightman due to their untimely submission. On the other hand, Mr Turner was granted a sum of £31,650 as compensation.
After the decision was made, a representative from MGN stated: “We are pleased with the ruling, as it provides our business with the necessary clarity to move on from past events that occurred a long time ago.”
“We deeply apologize for any past wrongdoings and have fully accepted responsibility by providing proper compensation.”
The source for this article is the Independent website.
