Prince Harry case: Duke of Sussex claims phone hacking was on an 'industrial scale' at Mirror titles

Prince Harry gave evidence in his legal battle with the publisher of the Mirror over allegations of phone hacking
The Duke of Sussex arriving at the Rolls Buildings in central London to give evidence in the phone hacking trial against Mirror Group Newspapers (Image: PA)The Duke of Sussex arriving at the Rolls Buildings in central London to give evidence in the phone hacking trial against Mirror Group Newspapers (Image: PA)
The Duke of Sussex arriving at the Rolls Buildings in central London to give evidence in the phone hacking trial against Mirror Group Newspapers (Image: PA)

The Duke of Sussex has finished giving evidence at the High Court in London, in his case against the Daily Mirror’s publisher over alleged unlawful information gathering.

In the second day of his evidence, he stated that he believed that phone hacking was carried out on an “industrial scale at at least three of the papers at the time … that is beyond any doubt”. He also said that the practice had to have been used for stories about his private life, including his former girlfriend Chelsy Davy.

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But Andrew Green, KC, representing the Mirror publisher, said that there was no evidence to support Harry's claims.

What's the case about?

Prince Harry claims journalists at its titles, which also include the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People, were linked to illegal methods like phone hacking. He is also involved in five other legal disputes in the High Court, largely focusing on media publishers and alleged unlawful information gathering.

The case centres on 147 articles published between 1996 and 2011 across MGN's publications, of which 33 sample articles are being considered in the trial. Harry alleges the information about himself in those articles was gathered illegally - via methods like phone hacking, so-called “blagging” - or gaining information by deception - and using private investigators for unlawful activities.

MGN is contesting the claims and has either denied or not admitted to each of them. The publisher also argues some of the claimants have brought their legal action too late.

As it happened...

Prince Harry's court case against MGN - latest updates

Who is Jane Kerr? Former Mirror journalist takes the witness box

Next up in the witness box today is Jane Kerr. She happened to be the Royal editor at the Daily Mirror between 2000 and 2005 - dates that articles regarding Harry make up part of the court case.

Former Daily Mirror royal editor Jane Kerr is set to take to the witness box this afternoon at London's high court (Credit: Getty Images/Kreab)Former Daily Mirror royal editor Jane Kerr is set to take to the witness box this afternoon at London's high court (Credit: Getty Images/Kreab)
Former Daily Mirror royal editor Jane Kerr is set to take to the witness box this afternoon at London's high court (Credit: Getty Images/Kreab)

Her byline happens to be on 10 of the 33 articles in question during the high court case, and already has elicited controversy with the Royal family, having been reportedly banned from attending Buckingham Palace in 2003 in what was deemed by The Guardian as a retaliation regarding fake news stories regarding footmen at the Palace in November the same year.

Why was Brian Harvey outside court?

As we reported earlier, the former East 17 singer was pictured outside court as Prince Harry arrived this morning.

Why? According to Sky News, Harvey “turned up at court where he is making quite the scene, using colourful language and shouting loudly about corruption."

He told Sky News that he too was a victim of phone hacking and the media was "a joke.”

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