The Duke of Sussex and a group of other prominent figures are set to learn whether they have won their High Court cases against the publisher of the Daily Mail. The ruling, expected on Tuesday July 7, follows an 11-week trial that concluded at the end of March.
Allegations of Unlawful Information-Gathering
The group, which also includes Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish, Liz Hurley, Sadie Frost, and Sir Simon Hughes, brought claims against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) for unlawful information-gathering. The allegations include voicemail interception, landline tapping, and obtaining information by deception, commonly known as “blagging,” allegedly carried out by private investigators, freelance journalists, and ANL staff.
ANL's Defence
ANL strongly denies the claims and has defended the case, asserting that it “has established a complete defence to all parts of the claims on the merits” and that the cases were brought too late. The law requires legal action related to unlawful information-gathering to be launched within six years of discovering a potential claim.
During the trial, dozens of people gave evidence, including Harry, the other claimants, and many current or former ANL journalists and executives. Harry faced around two hours of cross-examination in January, during which he stated that he could not complain about some of the 14 articles in his case at the time “because of the institution I was in.” In his written evidence, he alleged that “knowingly false” information was added to stories to “put me off the scent” and conceal unlawful methods, including voicemail interception.
ANL's Account of Legitimate Sourcing
As part of its defence, ANL argued that Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday journalists provide a “compelling account of a pattern of legitimate sourcing of articles,” including tips from friends and “leaky” social circles, press officers, and spokespersons, as well as previous reporting, freelance journalists, and stories from other newspapers and news agencies.
The trial also examined whether the claims were filed within the legal time limit. Mr Justice Nicklin, who presided over the case, is now expected to deliver a written ruling on Tuesday July 7.
