Sun publisher News Group Newspapers has admitted “unlawful activities” took place at the newspaper as it reached a settlement in a claim brought by Prince Harry.
The settlement came at the eleventh hour, the day after a trial lasting around two months was due to begin. Harry’s only remaining co-claimant in the case was Lord Tom Watson, the former deputy leader of the Labour Party.
News Group Newspapers (a subsidiary of News UK) offered both Harry and Watson a “full and unequivocal apology” for activities carried out by the News of the World.
Harry also received an apology for “serious intrusion” by The Sun. News UK, the parent company of News Group Newspapers which also owns The Times, has always denied allegations of unlawful activities at The Sun but this is an admission of “unlawful activities carried out by private investigators” between 1996 and 2011.
The publisher will pay “substantial damages” to both men as part of the settlement.
News UK has declined to comment on reports that total settlement runs to £10m damages and £10m costs.
The News Group Newspapers apology to Prince Harry and Tom Watson in full:
The Sun publisher said: “NGN offers a full and unequivocal apology to the Duke of Sussex for the serious intrusion by The Sun between 1996 and 2011 into his private life, including incidents of unlawful activities carried out by private investigators working for The Sun.
“NGN also offers a full and unequivocal apology to the Duke of Sussex for the phone hacking, surveillance and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators instructed by them at the News of the World.
“NGN further apologises to the Duke for the impact on him of the extensive coverage and serious intrusion into his private life as well as the private life of Diana, Princess of Wales, his late mother, in particular during his younger years.
“We acknowledge and apologise for the distress caused to the Duke, and the damage inflicted on relationships, friendships and family, and have agreed to pay him substantial damages. It is also acknowledged, without any admission of illegality, that NGN’s response to the 2006 arrests and subsequent actions were regrettable.
“NGN also offers a full and unequivocal apology to Lord Watson for the unwarranted intrusion carried out into his private life during his time in Government by the News of the World during the period 2009- 2011.
“This includes him being placed under surveillance in 2009 by journalists at the News of the World and those instructed by them. NGN also acknowledges and apologises for the adverse impact this had on Lord Watson’s family and has agreed to pay him substantial damages.
“In addition, in 2011 News International received information that information was being passed covertly to Lord Watson from within News International. We now understand that this information was false, and Lord Watson was not in receipt of any such confidential information. NGN apologises fully and unequivocally for this.”
Settlement finally ‘draws a line’ under hacking scandal litigation 14 years on
The Sun publisher later issued a follow-up statement providing further clarity around the extend of its admission of guilt.
“It has long been a matter of record that the Duke of Sussex’s phone was hacked by the News of the World. Two people served criminal sentences for this in 2006 and an apology was given. Today a full and unequivocal apology is given to the Duke of Sussex for the phone hacking, surveillance and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators instructed by them at the News of the World. Phone hacking at the News of the World was not due to be a part of this trial but it is a part of this settlement.
“In the 1990s and early 2000s there was widespread use by the broadcast and news media of private investigators. In most cases, their use was for public interest journalism and to obtain information necessary for the purposes of journalism.
“Today, our apology to the Duke of Sussex includes an apology for incidents of unlawful activities carried out by private investigators working for The Sun, not by journalists, during the period 1996-2011.
“There are strong controls and processes in place at all our titles today to ensure this cannot happen now. There was no voicemail interception on The Sun.
“It must also be stressed that allegations that were being made publicly pre trial (and indeed post settlement) that News International destroyed evidence in 2010/11 would have been the subject of significant challenge at trial. These allegations were and continue to be strongly denied. Extensive evidence would have been called in trial to rebut these allegations from senior staff from technology and legal.
“After we served our skeleton arguments and evidence for trial including witness statements, the Duke has not sought to pursue these allegations further despite his stated intent and no admission or apology has been made in relation to this. This is significant. This matter was also investigated fully by the police and CPS between 2012-2015, at the conclusion of which it was found that there was no case to answer.
“Lord Watson’s phone was not hacked in 2009-11 and had this gone to trial, NGN would have called evidence from telecoms experts to demonstrate that hacking after 2007 was nigh on impossible due to security upgrades undertaken by telecoms companies. This evidence was also provided to the Leveson Inquiry. No admission has been made on this today.
“After more than a decade of litigation, and 14 years since the News of the World closed down, today’s settlement draws a line under the past and brings an end to this litigation. Indeed the judge made it clear in remarks in court at the end of the hearing that these cases are likely to be the last liable to go to trial. Any cases now brought, years after the events, will be liable to be struck out.
“The Sun today can face the future and continue its proud record of award-winning public interest journalism, investigations and campaigning on behalf of its readers.”
Harry’s lawyer: This is a ‘monumental victory’
In a statement outside court on behalf of Harry and Lord Watson, their lawyer David Sherborne said: “In a monumental victory today, News UK have admitted that The Sun, the flagship title for Rupert Murdoch’s UK media empire, has indeed engaged in illegal practices.
“This represents a vindication for the hundreds of other claimants who were strong-armed into settling, without being able to get to the truth of what was done to them.
“After endless resistance, denials and legal battles by News Group Newspapers, including spending more than £1bn in payouts and in legal costs, as well as paying off those in the know to prevent the full picture from coming out, News UK is finally held to account for its illegal actions and its blatant disregard for the law.
“It has also specifically admitted wrongdoing against Tom Watson and admitted unlawful acts by The Sun, as well as by the News of the World, against Prince Harry.
“The truth that has now been exposed is that NGN unlawfully engaged more than 100 private investigators over at least 16 years on more than 35,000 occasions. This happened as much at The Sun as it did at the News of the World, with the knowledge of all the editors and executives, going to the very top of the company.
“What’s even worse is that in the wake of the 2006 arrest of a royal correspondent, there was an extensive conspiracy to cover up what really had been going on and who knew about it. Senior executives deliberately obstructed justice by deleting over 30 million emails, destroying back-up tapes, and making false denials – all in the face of an ongoing police investigation. They then repeatedly lied under oath to cover their tracks – both in court and at the Leveson public inquiry.
“At her trial, in 2014 Rebekah Brooks, said ‘when I was editor of The Sun we ran a clean ship’. Now, 10 years later when she is CEO of the company, they now admit, when she was editor of The Sun, they ran a criminal enterprise.
“Far from being relics of a distant past, many of those behind these unlawful practices remain firmly entrenched in senior positions today, both within News UK and other media outlets across the world, wielding editorial power and perpetuating the toxic culture in which they continue to thrive. It’s perhaps no surprise that all of their senior executives and editors refused to turn up to court to give evidence.
“The failure of each of these key individuals to come and answer questions under oath spoke volumes in itself, but their collective silence is deafening.
“Today’s result has been achieved only through the sheer resilience of Prince Harry and Lord Watson, whose willingness to take NGN to trial has led directly to this historic admission of unlawfulness at The Sun. It has only been by taking NGN – not just to the steps of court but inside the courtroom itself – that these claimants have finally managed to extract this historic admission of guilt.
“As a direct result of him taking a stand, Prince Harry and his immediate family have also had to repeatedly withstand aggressive and vengeful coverage since starting his claim over five years ago. This has created serious concerns for the security of him and his family.
“The rule of law must now run its full course. Prince Harry and Tom Watson join others in calling for the police and Parliament to investigate not only the unlawful activity now finally admitted, but the perjury and cover-ups along the way.
“It’s clear now this has occurred throughout this process, including through sworn evidence in inquiries and court hearings, and in testimony to Parliament, until today’s final collapse of NGN’s defence.
“Today the lies are laid bare. Today, the cover-ups are exposed. And today proves that no-one stands above the law. The time for accountability has arrived.”
Lord Watson praised Harry for his “bravery and astonishing courage” for bringing legal claims against “the big beasts of the tabloid jungle”, adding: “We are grateful to him for his unwavering support and his determination under extraordinary pressure.”
Hacked Off: ‘Humilating day for The Sun’
Campaign group Hacked Off welcomed the settlement and apology from The Sun publisher.
Hacked Off board director Emma Jones said: “It is a humiliating day for The Sun and the senior executives at News Group Newspapers, who have finally admitted that allegations of illegality made against the publisher are true. News Group has now spent over a billion pounds – funds which could have been put to much better use supporting journalism – fighting allegations which they have now largely admitted were accurate.
“The Sun has spent years denigrating the individuals and campaigners – including Hacked Off – who have alleged illegal activity at the newspaper and forced 1300 people through legal action to uphold their rights.
“Today, The Sun’s targets have been vindicated.
“It is now clear that the public and Parliament were lied to by the newspaper and its publisher, as part of the most extraordinary corporate cover-up in living memory.
“The Sun’s claims of innocence formed part of the broader press campaign against independent regulation and Leveson Part Two. Now we have confirmation – from the publisher itself – that this was fabrication, the Prime Minister must get on with robust policy on press accountability without further delay.”
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