Sir Simon Hughes, a former justice minister and one of seven claimants in Prince Harry's failed privacy case against the Daily Mail, has stated he did not intend to target the publisher, Associated Newspapers.
Prince Harry, Sir Simon, and five other claimants, including Baroness Lawrence, Sir Elton John, David Furnish, Elizabeth Hurley, and Sadie Frost, had their claims dismissed earlier this month. They alleged that journalists unlawfully hacked, bugged, and blagged information for stories.
The claimants must now await a decision on how much they will collectively pay towards the Daily Mail's legal costs. Associated Newspapers stated its defense costs for the four-year legal action amounted to £34 million. The publisher sought costs on an 'indemnity' basis, arguing the claims were presented in a 'cavalier' manner, with allegations dropped or pursued with insufficient evidence.
Nicholas Bacon KC, representing the claimants, informed the High Court that Sir Simon had communicated overnight to clarify his position. According to Bacon, Sir Simon wished to make it clear that he was not a campaigner against Associated Newspapers and that targeting the publisher was not part of his case or plan. He also stated that he did not publicly align his case with the other claimants, emphasizing that he is not a celebrity and was a senior MP and minister at the time.
Antony White KC, representing Associated Newspapers, noted that Sir Simon had previously accused the publisher of "widespread criminality of the most heinous form" and had not withdrawn these allegations.
Mr Justice Nicklin is scheduled to rule on the proportionality of the claimants' costs and the total sum to be paid, potentially on an indemnity basis, in a judgment expected the week of August 17. The judge indicated there would be time for Sir Simon to reflect on how the case was conducted and its outcome.