Prince Harry, Elton John and others sue UK paper group (Daily Mail) over privacy breaches
Source: Reuters
Britain's Prince Harry, singer Elton John and other individuals have launched legal action against the publisher of the Daily Mail newspaper, alleging phone-tapping and other breaches of privacy, a law firm for some of the group said on Thursday. Associated Newspapers, publisher of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday and the Mail Online, one of the most widely read news websites in the world, said it "utterly and unambiguously" denied the allegations.
The individuals had become aware of "highly distressing" evidence revealing they had been victims of breaches of privacy by Associated Newspapers, law firm Hamlins said in a statement. It said the breaches included placing listening devices inside people's cars and homes, commissioning the bugging of live, private telephone calls, payment of police officials for sensitive information, and impersonating individuals to obtain medical records."They have now therefore banded together to uncover the truth, and to hold the journalists responsible fully accountable, many of whom still hold senior positions of authority and power today," Hamlins said in its statement.
"We utterly and unambiguously refute these preposterous smears which appear to be nothing more than a pre-planned and orchestrated attempt to drag the Mail titles into the phone hacking scandal concerning articles up to 30 years old," a spokesman for the publisher said. "These unsubstantiated and highly defamatory claims - based on no credible evidence - appear to be simply a fishing expedition by claimants and their lawyers, some of whom have already pursued cases elsewhere."
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/prince-harry-elton-john-launch-legal-action-against-daily-mail-publisher-law-2022-10-06/