Cell phone hacking trial: media group must pay Prince Harry compensation
Prince Harry said after the ruling that he felt "vindicated" by the court decision. "I was told that you can get burnt killing dragons," explained the Duke of Sussex via his lawyers. In view of his partial victory in court and the "importance" of his commitment "to a free and honest press", however, this was a "worthwhile price". "The mission continues," Harry announced with a view to further legal action against British publishers.
The Duke of Sussex had sued MGN together with other celebrities for illegally obtaining information. The plaintiffs accused the publisher of the tabloid newspapers "Mirror", "Sunday Mirror" and "Sunday People" in particular of having tapped their cell phones.
Before the trial, the media company had acknowledged "some evidence" of illegal procurement of information, including for an article about Prince Harry. However, the company had categorically denied having intercepted voice messages. It also argued in court that some of the claims had been filed too late.
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Prince Harry appreciated the court's decision, stating that it felt like a "worthy price" to stand up for a free press. The media group responsible for the cell phone hacking incident was ordered to pay compensation to Prince Harry and other plaintiffs. Harry's lawyers revealed that the Duke of Sussex had compared the process to "getting burnt killing dragons," but he considered it significant for his commitment to honest journalism. The Prince announced his intention to continue legal action against British publishers, including those responsible for the tabloid newspapers "Mirror," "Sunday Mirror," and "Sunday People," who had been accused of unlawfully accessing their cell phones. Regardless of the company's previous admission of "some evidence" of illegal information procurement and its defense against timely filing of certain claims, the court ruled in favor of Prince Harry and other plaintiffs.
Source: www.stern.de
