Prince Harry awarded US$154,000 in phone hacking claim against Mirror Group
- The judge ruled there was ‘extensive’ phone hacking generally by Mirror Group Newspapers from 2006 to 2011
- Harry, 39, had sued Mirror Group Newspapers for damages, claiming journalists at its titles were linked to methods including phone hacking
Justice Timothy Fancourt concluded there was “extensive” phone hacking generally by Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) from 2006 to 2011, “even to some extent” during the Leveson Inquiry into media standards.
The judge also ruled that the Duke’s phone was probably hacked “to a modest extent” by the publisher.
Harry, 39, sued Mirror Group Newspapers for damages, claiming journalists at its titles – the Daily and Sunday Mirror and Sunday People – were linked to methods including phone hacking, so-called “blagging” or gaining information by deception, and use of private investigators for unlawful activities.
His case was heard alongside similar claims brought by actor Michael Turner, who is known professionally as Michael Le Vell and is most famous for playing Kevin Webster in Coronation Street, actress Nikki Sanderson and Fiona Wightman, the ex-wife of comedian Paul Whitehouse.
The allegations in their claims about unlawful activity at MGN’s titles covered a period from as early as 1991 until at least 2011, the court was previously told.