Claims of hacking, burglary, and bugging brought by Prince Harry, Baroness Lawrence, Sir Elton John, Elizabeth Hurley, and Sadie Frost against the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday have been dismissed by a High Court judge.
In a detailed ruling, Mr Justice Nicklin found the allegations brought by the claimants to be without merit, while commending the professionalism and credibility of the journalists involved. The judge repeatedly favored the testimony of the newspapers' witnesses, describing their accounts as 'straightforward,' 'impressive,' and 'honest,' in contrast to what he deemed 'unconvincing' and 'inconsistent' evidence from some claimants.
Prince Harry alleged that 15 articles concerning him resulted from phone hacking or other unlawful activities. The judge, however, accepted the evidence of Royal Editor Rebecca English, calling her an 'impressive and honest witness,' and rejected allegations against her regarding sourcing flight details for articles. Similarly, claims that journalist Caroline Graham bribed an official for flight information were dismissed, with the judge crediting Ms. Graham's account of obtaining details from legitimate sources. An allegation that an article about Prince Harry discussing his relationship with Chelsy Davy around a campfire originated from voicemail interception was also ruled 'unsupported.'
Baroness Lawrence, who claimed her phones were hacked for crime reporter Stephen Wright, had her allegations rejected. Mr Justice Nicklin found Mr. Wright's explanation for obtaining a scoop on Scotland Yard's admission of defeat to be 'coherent and plausible,' and accepted his testimony that articles regarding compensation and forensic breakthroughs were legitimately sourced. The judge described Mr. Wright as an 'experienced crime reporter' and an 'honest witness.'
Sir Elton John and David Furnish claimed information about their newborn son was obtained through 'false pretences.' The judge found that the publisher demonstrated a 'credible and legitimate sourcing route' for key parts of an article, and accepted evidence that some information came from confidential sources. The judge stated that Sir Elton had 'limited evidence to give' on the matters.
Elizabeth Hurley alleged 'monstrous' conduct, including the use of 'sticky window microphones.' She admitted to having 'no idea' if people in her circle spoke to the press and conceded that a story about her could have been provided by her ex-partner. The judge found feature writer Richard Price to be a 'credible and clear witness' whose account of sourcing was 'clear, consistent and inherently plausible.' The judge noted that Ms. Hurley 'has limited evidence to give on the contentious matters in dispute.'
Sadie Frost blamed the breakdown of her marriage to Jude Law partly on stories she believed originated from hacking. However, the court heard that a 'very strong source in Sadie Frost's social circle or family' had provided information. The judge accepted that all 11 articles she complained about were legitimately sourced, adding that even if they were not, Ms. Frost would have been time-barred from bringing her case. The judge found journalist Alison Boshoff's denial of voicemail interception or pretext calls to be 'convincing' and 'inherently plausible.'
In several instances, the judge noted that claimants had 'limited actual direct knowledge' of the events, often relying on information passed to them. Some of the more serious allegations were struck out before the trial commenced due to a lack of evidential foundation.