Prince Harry to be at centre of phone hacking trial against tabloid newspaper publisher | UK News
Prince Harry will be at the center of a planned High Court trial against the publisher of the Daily Mirror over phone hacking allegations, a judge has ruled.
The Royal is among a number of public figures whose case against Mirror Group Newspaper (MGN) will be considered at the trial, which will begin May 9.
On Wednesday, Judge Timothy Fancourt ruled that the Duke of Sussex’s case, alleging that unlawful information was collected on behalf of MGN journalists between 1996 and 2010, should be part of the court.
David Sherborne, the attorney representing Harry and other claimants, had previously told the court the duke would be the “only witness” to be relied upon in his case, suggesting he has can give evidence in the witness box.
He said Harry “wouldn’t settle” his case based on what he had stated in witness testimony, which has not been made public, as well as “everything he said outside of due process”. this proceeding”.
Other celebrities involved in the case include Cheryl, former Girls Aloud member, actor Ricky Tomlinson, former soccer player and TV presenter Ian Wright and the estate of the late singer George Michael.
The trial is expected to last six to seven weeks.
Four or five “representative” claimants were selected as “test cases” at a hearing in London on Wednesday.
The court heard that Harry’s case involved 148 articles published between 1996 and 2010, including information allegedly obtained through illegal means, such as phone hacking.
Mr. Justice Fancourt said the number of terms considered at the trial should be reduced to about 33.
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The Prince launched a case against MGN in 2019 and is one of a number of lawsuits he has brought against British newspapers, such as the case against News Group Newspaper, the publishers of The Sun and News of the World are now defunct.
Other claimants selected for the trial are former Coronation Street star Nikki Sanderson, comedian Paul Whitehouse’s ex-wife Fiona Wightman and actor Michael Turner.
MGN has countered the claims and argued that some were made too late.
He is also pursuing two separate legal actions against Associated Newspaper Limited (ANL), publisher of The Mail, The Mail on Sunday and MailOnline.
It was also announced on Wednesday that a hearing on one of his statements, about The Mail On Sunday’s coverage of the duke’s judicial review of the Home Office over the settlements, was announced. His security arrangements for his family when they visit the UK, will take place at the High Court on 17 March.
Meanwhile, a preliminary hearing in a separate legal case by the prince against allegations of unlawful information collection at ANL titles, is being launched alongside the likes of Baron Doreen Lawrence and Sir Elton John, was scheduled for March 27.
Harry has been outspoken in his criticism of the British press, most recently in several television interviews promoting his autobiography Spare.
