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Prince Harry v The Mirror in phone hacking case

(578 Posts)
lemsip Sun 04-Jun-23 08:17:31

When Prince Harry gives evidence in the Mirror phone-hacking trial on Tuesday, he will become the first senior royal to be cross-examined in court since the 19th century. Based on what happened earlier in the trial, it is unlikely the prince will enjoy the experience.

maddyone Wed 07-Jun-23 18:56:17

I’ve already done it Dickens and it’s entitled Our Childhood Experiences and I put it in Chat. Hope you find it and contribute.

Iam64 Wed 07-Jun-23 18:59:30

Those are interesting responses Pooter. The majority of the public agree journalists hacked phones and see Harry’s allegations are probably true

maddyone Wed 07-Jun-23 19:02:38

It’s the burden of proof that’s going to be the problem for Harry, with him claiming he was hacked two years before he owned a mobile and such like. I think I’ll wait for the judgement.

Iam64 Wed 07-Jun-23 19:07:26

I understand the legal complexities. The moral complexities are more straightforward. The tabloids hacked, cheated and caused huge distress. Wrong.

WellsRose Wed 07-Jun-23 19:08:51

nanna8

Harry clearly adores the press but only when it is feeding his ego and going his way. He doesn’t like it when they turn against him. Who is he waving to when he attends court cases, coronations etc? Just wondering, though I suppose it is his massive fan base. I really don’t think he ‘gets’ that he is not the most popular horse in the stable, he is clearly not tuned in to what people think of him after that ghastly book.

How do you know he's thinking all of this

maddyone Wed 07-Jun-23 19:12:39

Iam64

I understand the legal complexities. The moral complexities are more straightforward. The tabloids hacked, cheated and caused huge distress. Wrong.

I agree.

Anniebach Wed 07-Jun-23 19:14:34

I think the judge will rule in favour of Harry who again played the Diana card.

I do believe his phone was hacked, this doesn’t change my opinion of him, dislike him very much.

Mollygo Wed 07-Jun-23 19:15:56

WR
How do you know he's thinking all of this?

How do you know he isn’t ?

WellsRose Wed 07-Jun-23 19:38:02

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Glorianny Wed 07-Jun-23 19:51:51

The journalist being questioned after Harry had to be ordered to attend court. Jane Kerr says she doesn't remember who she asked to get information for her, but she's sure it would have been legal. She missed a few people off her list. Harry's case begins to look much better.

Mollygo Wed 07-Jun-23 20:08:44

Mollygo
WR
How do you know he's thinking all of this?

How do you know he isn’t ?
That is such a stupid question? How old are you?

I haven't written a whole unhinged paragraph claiming that I know what's going on his mind.
No you just asked a stupid question? In fact, you asked two stupid questions.

And I notice you couldn’t answer my question.

Germanshepherdsmum Wed 07-Jun-23 20:11:22

How many here have read his witness statement?

WellsRose Wed 07-Jun-23 20:17:47

Mollygo

Mollygo
WR
How do you know he's thinking all of this?

How do you know he isn’t ?
That is such a stupid question? How old are you?

I haven't written a whole unhinged paragraph claiming that I know what's going on his mind.
No you just asked a stupid question? In fact, you asked two stupid questions.

And I notice you couldn’t answer my question.

Have I claimed that I know what he's thinking because I don't read minds.

Mollygo Wed 07-Jun-23 20:31:13

RW
Oh. No expertise in that area. That’s OK.

Lathyrus Wed 07-Jun-23 20:33:29

Germanshepherdsmum

How many here have read his witness statement?

Ok I admit I gave up somewhere around page 18😳

The thing that struck me was that in each of the incidents there were any number of people who legitimately knew the information he says could only have been hacked , like Christ’s arrival at the airport or his parties. Any one of them could have passed information on.

I’d be really interested in your take on it.

Callistemon21 Wed 07-Jun-23 20:33:47

Iam64

I understand the legal complexities. The moral complexities are more straightforward. The tabloids hacked, cheated and caused huge distress. Wrong.

It certainly is wrong, distressing and immoral as well as illegal.

However, a claimant will not win their case if their testimony is proved to be unreliable.
There are other claimants - I did ask if this is a joint claim?
Does anyone know?

WellsRose Wed 07-Jun-23 20:46:10

Mollygo

RW
Oh. No expertise in that area. That’s OK.

Nope i have no expertise in reading Harry's mind or anyone's mind in fact.

Iam64 Wed 07-Jun-23 21:13:53

Callistemon, I heard on the news that there are other claimants but the cost of proceedings is prohibitive. They will follow if PH succeeds. That’s why the Mirror has to win

Mollygo Wed 07-Jun-23 21:15:47

Ok, so not equal with mind readers. grin

Callistemon21 Wed 07-Jun-23 21:25:49

Iam64

Callistemon, I heard on the news that there are other claimants but the cost of proceedings is prohibitive. They will follow if PH succeeds. That’s why the Mirror has to win

Oh, thanks.

I'm semi-following and knew Harry's and 3 others were a test case.
If he and the others win there could be quite a deluge then.

eazybee Wed 07-Jun-23 22:27:21

From what I have heard via the BBC and newspaper Harry has presented little evidence to show that his phone was hacked for information about his movements; most of the information was already known. He does not seem to have prepared his case well.

Pooter Thu 08-Jun-23 01:10:32

eazybee

From what I have heard via the BBC and newspaper Harry has presented little evidence to show that his phone was hacked for information about his movements; most of the information was already known. He does not seem to have prepared his case well.

Harry only has to persuade the judge that, taking all the available evidence in to account, at least one case of hacking occurred (out of the 33 incidents cited) "on the balance of probability'" in order to win his case.

eazybee Thu 08-Jun-23 06:11:35

That seems pretty poor to me, 'on the balance of probability' when his evidence about phone hacking is so inaccurate. That phone hacking did happen has not been disputed; whether it happened to Harry is open to dispute when so many other sources published stories first .

DiamondLily Thu 08-Jun-23 06:53:37

Callistemon21

Iam64

Callistemon, I heard on the news that there are other claimants but the cost of proceedings is prohibitive. They will follow if PH succeeds. That’s why the Mirror has to win

Oh, thanks.

I'm semi-following and knew Harry's and 3 others were a test case.
If he and the others win there could be quite a deluge then.

I think Elton John, Doreen Lawrence and Liz Hurley are also part of this "test" case bit.

It continues today.

NanaDana Thu 08-Jun-23 08:31:45

I do hope that where there is clear evidence of phone-hacking, this despicable practice attracts an appropriate, severe punishment which will act as a clear deterrent. In Harry's case, in many of his 33 alleged incidents there appears to be the possibility that "other sources" could have divulged the information, and some of it seems to have already been in the public domain. As for him only having to prove one case to achieve a finding in his favour, I'm not sure what the legal position is on that. Do all the other rejected cases bring his entire submission into "reasonable doubt", and if so, how does that effect the Judge's deliberations? Time will tell, but it's certainly not clear to me how this might develop.