Hacking case: Stories about Coronation Street star Michael Le Vell were ‘complete violation’ of privacy, court told
The High Court has been told a story about a Coronation Street star printed by the publisher of the Mirror made him “feel sick”, and that this and other articles about him were a “complete violation” of privacy.
Michael Turner, 58, who is known professionally as Michael Le Vell and has played Kevin Webster in the soap since 1983, alleges that titles run by Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) published “highly private details” about his life after allegedly targeting him with unlawful activity for years.
The actor himself is yet to give evidence – he is expected to do so in court on Monday – but his lawyer David Sherborne has outlined his case, which concerns 28 articles published between 1991 and 2001.
They cover a range of stories, including a burglary at his home, the impending birth of his daughter, and his 2011 arrest for suspected rape – which he was cleared of.
Latest day of hacking trial – as it happened
Prince Harry gave evidence in court earlier in June
Previously, the court heard he was accused by fellow Coronation Street cast members of being “a mole” because of stories appearing in the press, due to his position as a trade union representative.
Mr Turner is among a number of individuals suing MGN – publisher of the Daily and Sunday Mirror and the Sunday People – including Prince Harry and former Coronation Street and now Hollyoaks star Nikki Sanderson.
They allege journalists were linked to phone hacking, so-called “blagging” or gaining information by deception and the use of private investigators for unlawful activities.
MGN denies Mr Turner’s claim, arguing there is “no evidence” of voicemail interception or unlawful information gathering relating to him.
Stories quoted ‘spies’ and ‘insiders’
The actor’s lawyers say private information appeared in newspapers “for which there was no legitimate explanation as to how it had been obtained, but at the time he wrongly suspected those close to him”.
Addressing the court on Thursday, Mr Sherborne said the stories put forward in Mr Turner’s claim included quotes attributed to “a Street source”, “pals”, a “Corrie mole”, “spies”, and “insiders”.
The October 1996 Sunday Mirror story headlined “Street star’s safe house”, about the actor moving after a burglary, “contains highly private details about the burglary that occurred at Mr Turner’s family home” as well as details of the “financial assistance” he received from a niece “to buy a new house”, Mr Sherborne said.
A story published in October 2011 covering Mr Turner’s arrest on suspicion of a sexual offence, something he was later acquitted of, quoted a “pal” commenting on what the actor had allegedly said, the court was told.
This was “incredibly upsetting” and Mr Turner “was blaming every Tom, Dick and Harry” for apparently leaking information, Mr Sherborne said.
Hollyoaks and former Coronation Street star Nikki Sanderson is also among the claimants. Pic: Tayfun Salci/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock
The barrister added: “We say it bears all the hallmarks of unlawful information gathering.”
The “intrusion” made Mr Turner “feel sick” and his “blood boil”, Mr Sherborne said.
Richard Munden, representing MGN, argued that Mr Turner’s case is “particularly weak”, saying some articles in his claim were published before phone hacking started or when it had “significantly dropped off”.
In written arguments, the publisher’s lawyers said call data evidence relating to the case is “a wholly inadequate basis on which to seek an inference of (voicemail interception) of the claimant”.
‘Westlife gig story came from Westlife star’
On Thursday, the court also heard evidence from freelance journalist Paul Martin, a former Irish Sunday Mirror showbiz editor, whose byline appears on one of the articles Mr Turner has complained about – a story about Mr Turner and some of his co-stars being refused admission to a Westlife concert.
Mr Martin said he had “never hacked a phone in his life” and that it “wasn’t the culture in Ireland”.
In his witness statement, he said that information for the story actually came from Westlife lead singer Shane Filan – who had heard the “gossip” from the band’s head of security.
Mr Sherborne also questioned Mr Martin about the Irish Sunday Mirror’s publication of private letters of Gerry Ryan, the late Irish broadcaster. Mr Ryan was found dead at his home in 2010 with cocaine in his system.
The decision to publish his letters proved Mr Martin and his colleagues were “prepared to do things like voicemail interception and blagging”, Mr Sherborne argued – but Mr Martin denied this.
The trial before Mr Justice Fancourt is due to resume on Monday and conclude at the end of June, with a ruling expected at a later date.
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Joy star James Norton on the ‘postcode lottery’ of IVF – and playing the scientist who was part of creating the first ‘test-tube baby’
Actor James Norton, who stars in a new film telling the story of the world’s first “test-tube baby”, has criticised how “prohibitively expensive” IVF can be in the UK.
In Joy, the star portrays the real-life scientist Bob Edwards, who – along with obstetrician Patrick Steptoe and embryologist Jean Purdy – spent a decade tirelessly working on medical ways to help infertility.
The film charts the 10 years leading up to the birth of Louise Joy Brown, who was dubbed the world’s first test-tube baby, in 1978.
In the UK, statistics show the proportion of IVF cycles paid for by the NHS has dropped from 40% to 27% in the last decade
Norton, who is best known for playing Tommy Lee Royce in the BAFTA-winning series Happy Valley, told Sky News he has friends who were IVF babies and other friends who have had their own children thanks to the fertility treatment.
“But I didn’t know about these three scientists and their sacrifice, tenacity and skill,” he said. The star hopes the film will be “a catalyst for conversation” about the treatment and its availability.
“We know for a fact that Jean, Bob and Patrick would not have liked the fact that IVF is now so means based,” he said. “It’s prohibitively expensive for some… and there is a postcode lottery which means that some people are precluded from that opportunity.”
Bill Nighy, Thomasin McKenzie and James Norton star in Joy. All pics: Netflix/ Kerry Brown
Now, IVF is considered a wonder of modern medicine. More than 12 million people owe their existence today to the treatment Edwards, Steptoe and Purdy worked so hard to devise.
But Joy shows how public backlash in the years leading up to Louise’s birth saw the team vilified – accused of playing God and creating “Frankenstein babies”.
Bill Nighy and Thomasin McKenzie star alongside Norton, with the script written by acclaimed screenwriter Jack Thorne and his wife Rachel Mason.
The couple went through seven rounds of IVF themselves to conceive their son.
Norton portrays scientist Bob Edwards, while McKenzie plays embryologist Jean Purdy
While the film is set in the 1970s, the reality is that societal pressures haven’t changed all that much for many going through IVF today – with the costs now both emotional and financial.
“IVF is still seen as a luxury product, as something that some people get access to and others don’t,” said Thorne, speaking about their experiences in the UK.
“Louise was a working-class girl with working-class parents. Working class IVF babies are very, very rare now.”
In the run-up to the US election, Donald Trump saw IVF as a campaigning point – promising his government, or insurance companies, would pay for the treatment for all women should he be elected. He called himself the “father of IVF” at a campaign event – a remark described as “quite bizarre” by Kamala Harris.
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Bill Nighy ‘proud’ of new film on IVF breakthrough
“I don’t think Trump is a blueprint for this,” Norton said. “I don’t know how that fits alongside his questions around pro-choice.”
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In the UK, statistics from fertility regulator HEFA show the proportion of IVF cycles paid for by the NHS has dropped from 40% to 27% in the last decade.
“It’s so expensive,” Norton said. “Those who want a child should have that choice… and some people’s lack of access to this incredibly important science actually means that people don’t have the choice.”
Joy is in UK cinemas from 15 November, and on Netflix from 22 November
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