Prince Harry privacy case: ‘Extensive’ phone hacking by Mirror Group newspapers was carried out
“Extensive” phone hacking by the Mirror Group newspapers was carried out from 2006 to 2011, a High Court judge has ruled after a privacy case brought by Prince Harry.
Judge Mr Justice Fancourt said that “even to some extent”, the phone hacking continued during the Leveson Inquiry into media standards.
The Duke of Sussex’s case has been “proved in part”, with 15 of the 33 articles presented in court found to be the product of phone hacking or other unlawful information gathering, the judge ruled.
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He went on to say the Duke’s phone was probably only hacked to a modest extent and was “carefully controlled by certain people” from the end of 2003 to April 2009.
But the judge added there was a tendency by the Duke to assume everything was a result of hacking.
The judge awarded Prince Harry a total sum of £140,600. The sum was aggregated as directors of the newspaper group knew and “turned a blind eye and positively concealed it”.
In a statement read by his lawyer David Sherborne, Prince Harry said: “This case is not just about hacking, it is about a systemic practice of unlawful and appalling behaviour, followed by coverups and destruction of evidence.”
The court found that within Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), principle board directors, senior executives and editors “such as Piers Morgan clearly knew about or were involved in these illegal activities,” he said.
David Sherborne reads a statement, on behalf of the Duke of Sussex, outside court
“Between them, they even went as far as lying under oath to parliament during the Leveson inquiry, to the stock exchange, and to us all ever since.”
Since the claim was brought, the prince said: “Defamatory stories and intimidating tactics have been deployed against me and at my family’s expense.”
“I am happy to have won the case, especially as this trial only looked at a quarter of my entire claim.”
The prince called on the stock market and the police to “do their duty” and investigate bringing charges against the company and those who have broken the law.
“Today’s ruling is vindicating and affirming. I have been told that slaying dragons will get you burned, but in light of today’s victory and the importance of doing what is needed for a free and honest press, it is a worthwhile price to pay.”
Coronation Street actor awarded damages
Meanwhile, Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell was awarded £31,650 in damages after the judge found four out of the 27 articles presented to court were the product of phone hacking or unlawful information gathering.
Mr Justice Fancourt said the claims of soap actress Nikki Sanderson and the ex-wife of comedian Paul Whitehouse, Fiona Wightman, are barred because times for their claims have expired.
But he found that nine articles relating to Ms Sanderson and one article related to Ms Wightman were the product of unlawful information gathering.
The judge found there was “some unlawful activity” at the newspaper group in 1995, and “widespread” unlawful information gathering from 1996.
The practice was “widespread and habitual” from 1998 onwards, the judge said, while phone hacking “remained an important tool in the climate of journalism” at all three papers – the Daily Mirror, the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People – from 2006 to 2011.
But phone hacking and unlawful information gathering were then done “in a more controlled way” and not as habitually as before 2006.
Private investigators ‘integral part’ of Mirror newspapers
Unlawful information gathering involving private investigators hired by MGN “reduced in amount” between 2006 and 2011 but “remained extensive” throughout the whole period.
Some 11 private investigators – out of 51 complained about in the case – were used “very substantially” by journalists and editors and an “integral part of the system” that existed at the three papers.
Another 13 did a “significant amount” of unlawful information gathering while five did “some work” that appears to have involved in unlawful gathering.
There was “no sufficient evidence” for 14 of the private investigators in this case while ten others who were based abroad would have been breaking the law in England and Wales, but can’t have findings made about them because it was outside the jurisdiction.
Two directors knew about phone hacking
Meanwhile, two directors at MGN – Paul Vickers and Sly Bailey – knew about phone hacking but they did not inform the rest of the board, the judge found.
“It was concealed from the board, Parliament, the public, the Leveson Inquiry,” the judge said.
A spokesperson for MGN said: “We welcome today’s judgment that gives the business the necessary clarity to move forward from events that took place many years ago.
“Where historical wrongdoing took place, we apologise unreservedly, have taken full responsibility and paid appropriate compensation.”
The Duke of Sussex sued MGN for damages, claiming journalists at its titles were linked to controversial methods including phone hacking, so-called “blagging” and the use of private investigators for unlawful activities.
The civil trial at the High Court ended in June after seven weeks and saw the duke appear in the witness box – the first time a senior royal has given evidence in a courtroom since the 19th Century.
His lawyer David Sherborne told the court unlawful information gathering against the duke began in January 1996 when he was 11 years old.
Mr Sherborne said the 33 articles which form Harry’s case are just a fraction of the 2,500 the royal identified as being published about him between 1996 and 2009.
MGN contested the claims and either denied or not admitted to each of them. The publisher also argued that some of the claimants have brought their legal action too late.
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A man has been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the ship collision in the North Sea.
Humberside Police said the 59-year-old is in custody to allow enquiries to take place, and officers are talking to those involved to find out what happened.
The force added investigators have started a criminal probe into the cause of the collision between the Stena Immaculate and Solong off the coast of East Yorkshire on Monday, and are working with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
Ernst Russ, the owner of Solong, later confirmed the man detained was the ship’s captain. The shipping firm called him “the master of the ship” – which is understood to be the same as a captain.
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Sky News above North Sea ship collision
One person remains missing and is presumed dead after emergency services stopped their search on Monday evening.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch is also involved in early work to determine what caused the two vessels to collide.
Read more: What we know about the collision
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Map shows moment of collision in North Sea
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Superintendent Craig Nicholson, said: “Humberside Police have taken primacy for the investigation of any potential criminal offences which arise from the collision between the two vessels.
“Extensive work has already been carried out, and we are working closely with our partners to understand what happened, and to provide support to all of those affected.
“Following enquiries undertaken by my team, we have arrested a 59-year-old man on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the collision, this follows the conclusion of search operations by HM Coastguard for the missing crew member of the SOLONG.”
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North Sea: Sailor presumed dead
He added: “Our thoughts are with the family of the missing crew member, and I have appointed family liaison officers to make contact and provide support to the family.
“The man arrested remains in custody at this time whilst enquiries are under way, and we continue speaking with all those involved to establish the full circumstances of the incident.”
Ernst Russ added in a later statement that it could confirm the master of the Solong “has been detained by Humberside Police in the UK”.
“The master and our entire team are actively assisting with the investigations,” the shipping firm said.
“Out of respect for the investigation and all involved we will not comment further at this time.”
Read more:
Oil tanker collision could have lethal ecological impact
Sky News above North Sea ship collision
HM Coastguard said in an update that the Solong is still alight
US tanker Stena Immaculate was anchored off the coast of East Yorkshire when the Solong crashed into it at around 9.45am on Monday.
Some 36 people were brought safely to the shore, but one person was reported missing from the cargo ship.
At least one tank of Jet-A1 fuel onboard the Stena Immaculate was ruptured, its operator said
At around 11.20pm, the Solong started to drift southwards away from the crash site. HM Coastguard said in an update earlier on Tuesday that the ship is still alight.
Tugboats are in the vicinity to ensure it remains away from the coast
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the container ship is expected to stay afloat, after a minister told parliament that it could sink earlier in the day.
She said she met with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s chief executive Virginia McVea, and was “pleased to have been informed that early indications suggest that both vessels are now expected to stay afloat”.
Ernst Russ also denied reports the vessel was carrying sodium cyanide and said: “There are four empty containers that have previously contained the hazardous chemical.
“These containers will continue to be monitored.”
Stena Immaculate was carrying 220,000 barrels of Jet-A1 fuel in 16 tanks, at least one of which was ruptured, its operator also said.
UK
Triple killer Kyle Clifford will serve whole-life sentence for murdering BBC commentator’s family
Triple killer Kyle Clifford has been handed a whole-life sentence for murdering his ex-girlfriend, her mother and her sister.
Warning: This article contains distressing details.
The sentence imposed by Mr Justice Bennathan means he will never be released.
The former soldier, 26, admitted murdering BBC racing commentator John Hunt’s wife Carol Hunt, 61, and their daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28.
He also pleaded guilty to false imprisonment of his former partner Louise, as well as possession of the crossbow used to kill her and her sister, and the 10-inch butcher’s knife he stabbed their mother to death with.
Louise Hunt
Pic: Facebook
Clifford denied raping Louise, who had broken up with him 13 days before the four-hour attack in the Hunt family home on 9 July last year.
But he was found guilty by a jury last week after a trial at Cambridge Crown Court, which he refused to attend, prompting police and prosecutors to brand him a “coward”.
The judge paid tribute “to the astonishing dignity and courage” of the victims’ family, including John Hunt and his surviving daughter Amy, who hugged after the sentence.
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Footage shows Clifford fleeing the Hunt family home
They, along with Hannah’s partner Alex Klein, had read emotional victim impact statements in court as Mr Hunt said hell would roll out the “red carpet” for him.
He said the evidence showed Clifford “to be a jealous man, soaked in self-pity – a man who holds women in utter contempt”.
The court heard Clifford, from Enfield, north London, began planning the murders after Louise ended their 18-month relationship in a message on 26 June.
Carol Hunt pictured with her husband John Hunt.
Pic: Facebook
He tricked his way inside before stabbing her mother to death in what prosecutors said was a “brutal knife attack”, then lay in wait for an hour for Louise to enter the house.
Clifford held her for more than two hours, as he restrained her with duct tape and raped her, then shot her through the chest with a crossbow moments before her sister Hannah got home and was also killed.
He fled the scene and shot himself with the weapon as armed police descended and is now paralysed from the chest down.
The recovered crossbow.
Pic: Hertfordshire Police
The 10-inch butcher’s knife Clifford used was never found but police released an image of the packaging.
Pic: PA
The judge told Clifford, who didn’t attend his sentencing hearing, he went to the Hunt family home to launch “a murderous attack” on his ex-girlfriend’s family.
“You first killed her mother Carol, who even on that day showed you nothing but kindness in the moments before you attacked her,” he said.
“You raped and killed Louise who had been as gentle as she could in ending her relationship with you, after your arrogance and anger proved too much for her to stand.
“Then you murdered Hannah Hunt, who had done nothing to harm you save supporting her little sister.”
The jury wasn’t told Clifford had searched for Andrew Tate’s podcast less than 24 hours before the murders.
Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said “it is no coincidence” he turned to the “poster boy for misogynists – a poster boy for those who view women as possession to be controlled” the night before committing such “acts of violence against women”.
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