Prince Harry recently emerged victorious in a legal battle against the Daily Mirror’s publisher, winning over 140,000 pounds ($180,000) in damages. This marks the first of several lawsuits the Duke of Sussex has filed against tabloids. Justice Timothy Fancourt in the High Court concluded that phone hacking was a common and entrenched practice at Mirror Group Newspapers, with private investigators playing a key role in unlawfully gathering information.
According to Fancourt, the executives at the newspapers were not only aware of this widespread phone hacking but also actively participated in covering it up. The court found that 15 out of 33 newspaper articles scrutinized during the trial had been compiled using unlawful means. This revelation exposes the extent to which illegal practices were ingrained in the operations of Mirror Group Newspapers over many years.
Prince Harry had originally sought 440,000 pounds ($560,000) in his legal pursuit against the British media. His decision to take legal action is a departure from the royal family’s traditional aversion to litigation. In a historic move, Prince Harry became the first senior royal family member to testify in court in over a century. During his two-day appearance in June, he accused Mirror Group Newspapers of employing journalists who engaged in voicemail eavesdropping and hiring private investigators to use deceptive and unlawful means to gather information about him and other family members.
Prince Harry boldly stated in the High Court that he believed phone hacking was conducted on an industrial scale across at least three newspapers at the time. This assertion underscores the seriousness of the issue and the need to address the unethical practices employed by certain sections of the British media.
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