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Prince Harry loses and wins

(193 Posts)
maddyone Sat 16-Dec-23 10:19:07

So in the last week Prince Harry has been ordered to pay court costs of £50,000 and within a few days, been awarded damages of around £130,000.
Interesting times indeed.

Harris27 Sat 16-Dec-23 10:22:52

Early Christmas present for his bank account. Never ending drama.

eazybee Sat 16-Dec-23 10:48:52

I worry about the judiciary.
The Judge, Mr. Justice Fancourt, said that he found Omid Scobie to be a 'straightforward and reliable witness', as he recounted overhearing, in 2002, Piers Morgan being told that a story about Minogue (Kylie?) had come from voicemail messages, which proved Morgan condoned phone hacking.

Harry now considers himself to be a 'dragon slayer.'
I look forward to the cartoons.

Smileless2012 Sat 16-Dec-23 10:50:59

It's worrying that anyone could consider OS to be a 'straightforward and reliable witness' especially a Judge!!!

Grantanow Sat 16-Dec-23 11:12:59

No doubt he was a 'fragrant' person, thinking back to another judge's comment about a witness.

maddyone Sat 16-Dec-23 11:19:47

Yes, I heard that too eazybee.
How anyone could find Omid Scobie to be a straightforward and reliable witness, given the recent furore over the lies in Scobie’s latest novel book is truly beyond me. Does this judge walk around with his eyes and ears closed? I realise that only the evidence presented to him must be taken into account, but surely when someone has been shown to be a liar……

Chestnut Sat 16-Dec-23 11:55:21

he recounted overhearing, in 2002, Piers Morgan being told that a story about Minogue (Kylie?) had come from voicemail messages, which proved Morgan condoned phone hacking.
I'm not sure how anything OS says can actually prove anything. It's just what he said which isn't proof of anything, especially an alleged conversation which took place over 20 years ago. That's not proof!

Casdon Sat 16-Dec-23 12:07:17

The person who is coming out of this debacle the worst is Piers Morgan I think, I’d lay money that he’s lying. There’s no doubt in my mind that Prince Harry’s phone was hacked and Morgan knew about it, regardless of what anybody thinks about Prince Harry that was quite wrong, and he was right to pursue the case.

Germanshepherdsmum Sat 16-Dec-23 12:18:05

Obviously Scobie came across well in court. The judge can’t have the preconceptions that we have, he must rely exclusively on the witness’s testimony.

If I were Morgan I would be worried.

Unfortunately Harry’s statement afterwards suggests that there will be further litigation to come. 🙄

JaneJudge Sat 16-Dec-23 12:18:47

I agree re Piers Morgan. I wonder if this is why he was so publicly unpleasant about Meghan

Louella12 Sat 16-Dec-23 12:30:12

I think there's 4 or 5 more cases that Harry has on the go.

vegansrock Sat 16-Dec-23 12:44:10

Piers Morgan is a proven liar and the judge had far more evidence than the author- employees of MGN for instance. That he didn’t know where his journalists were getting their stories is hard to believe - either he is a terrible liar or a terrible editor.

maddyone Sat 16-Dec-23 13:14:15

Yes, agree about Piers Morgan. However it’s been reported that he wasn’t called to court to give evidence and I think he should have been.
I still feel Omid Scobie is an unreliable witness. He may well put himself across well, but he is an accomplished liar.

maddyone Sat 16-Dec-23 13:15:33

Unfortunately this judgement, which may well be the right judgment, nonetheless will have given Harry more fuel for his fire.

Germanshepherdsmum Sat 16-Dec-23 13:22:29

Yes. This is just one battle in his war on the British press.

Anniebach Sat 16-Dec-23 13:33:22

Wish he hadn’t been described as a victim, will his next book be ‘victim’

Smileless2012 Sat 16-Dec-23 13:40:19

Don't give him any ideas Annie grin.

Whitewavemark2 Sat 16-Dec-23 13:41:28

He’s after the DM and it’s overseas owners next

Dickens Sat 16-Dec-23 13:55:00

Phone hacking is wrong - even if the phone belongs to Harry.

But I'm more concerned with victims like Milly Dowler and her family.

vegansrock Sat 16-Dec-23 13:59:06

Of course he was a victim - what else do you call hounded by the press, having every potential girlfriend equally hounded for tabloid gossip.

eazybee Sat 16-Dec-23 14:26:34

I would feel some sympathy for Harry if he hadn't spent so much of his time since leaving Britain hounding his immediate family and former staff, and revealing many private (unproven) accusations which should stay within families.

As a self-proclaimed victim he is intensely aware of the distress this causes.

Sparklefizz Sat 16-Dec-23 14:27:53

One of Harry's claims that he lost was because it was proven that he didn't even have a phone then! There were quite a few of these lost claims. You would think he might have tried to get his facts straight.

Harry has been proven to be a liar/have an extremely unreliable memory in the past. I take much of what he says with a pinch of salt.

I also find it totally hypocritical of Harry to be outraged at media intrusion into his private life when he has been ruthless at intruding into the private life of William in particular. (eg. re W being circumcised.) I don't think Harry is in a position to call for "truth and accountability" after what he has done to members of his family. It's "Do as I say, not as I do."

On the other hand, I am obviously not condoning phone hacking in any way whatsoever, and it was horrific what happened regarding poor Milly Dowler and her family.

Anniebach Sat 16-Dec-23 14:30:51

There was also the woman he lost his virginity to, did she deserve to be publicly spoken of

Casdon Sat 16-Dec-23 14:42:01

To be honest I don’t care who it is that’s pursuing a legitimate case against phone hacking, it’s irrelevant what’s gone before with that person, or what comes after. If they were hacked it is completely unacceptable, and by winning it is a small step on the road to stopping it happening to anybody else. It has to be high profile people who pursue this, because Joe Public doesn’t stand any chance of winning against worldwide media sources, unjust though that is.

eazybee Sat 16-Dec-23 15:49:16

The case of Milly Dowler was appalling, and rightly dealt with severely.

Harry resents intrusion into his life, still regarding himself
as a public figure, but happily intrudes into the lives of others via his 'book' with mean-spirited comments about some of his former advisors, their appearance and demeanor. They are not in a position to take him to court for his spite.
He is riding for a fall.