LONDON (AP) — Prince Harry’s victory against Mirror Group Newspapers on Friday over what a British judge called “habitual” illegal activity is a landmark moment in the long and twisting saga of lawbreaking by Britain’s tabloid press.

The decision of Judge Timothy Fancourt stated that Mirror newspapers had enlisted the services of private investigators to obtain personal information and committed unlawful phone hacking for more than ten years.

This is the newest installment in a story of controlling tabloid influence that has been ongoing for years – however, it is doubtful that it will be the final chapter.

During the time before digital technology, British tabloid newspapers were highly competitive and sold millions of copies daily. They often resorted to unethical practices to obtain exclusive stories.

A common strategy involved phone hacking, which consisted of dialing a person’s number and entering a default PIN such as 0000 in order to potentially gain access to their voicemail. This approach was often successful.

The targets of this included individuals such as members of the royal family, politicians, athletes, celebrities, friends and family of well-known individuals, and regular citizens who were thrust into the spotlight.

According to Fancourt’s decision, phone hacking was a regular practice at Mirror newspapers starting in 1998 and continued until at least 2011.

The initial discovery of phone hacking was made in 2007 when the royal editor of News of the World and a private investigator working for the paper were imprisoned for intercepting voicemails from Prince William and other royal staff members.

The owner of the paper, Rupert Murdoch, disregarded the misconduct as the actions of two unscrupulous employees. However, in 2011, it was revealed that the News of the World had illegally accessed the phone of Milly Dowler, a 13-year-old girl who had been kidnapped and tragically killed.

The public outcry triggered a widespread scandal that ultimately led to Murdoch’s decision to discontinue the 168-year-old tabloid, which was previously the top-selling newspaper in Britain.

The government established a public inquiry, led by a judge, to investigate media ethics. This inquiry looked into the intricate connections between Britain’s political, media, and police leaders, which some felt were too close and cozy. Justice Brian Leveson suggested the establishment of a robust press watchdog that would be overseen by government regulation. While some of his recommendations have been put into action, they have faced opposition from a significant portion of the press who are cautious of government involvement.

Judge Fancourt stated that Leveson was not given complete and accurate information. He noted that the Mirror’s misconduct was hidden from various entities such as the board, Parliament, the Leveson Inquiry, shareholders, and the public for a significant amount of time.

Following the 2011 disclosures, numerous editors and executives from the News of the World were accused of engaging in unlawful phone hacking. In 2014, after an eight-month trial at the Central Criminal Court in London, former editor Andy Coulson was convicted and sentenced to 18 months in prison for conspiring to hack phones. Five other defendants were found not guilty, with some admitting guilt through plea deals.

After that time, there have not been any additional criminal instances. However, News Group and Mirror Group, which belong to Murdoch, have given out hundreds of millions to resolve accusations from numerous potential victims of hacking and other unlawful actions. Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail, is facing legal action from Prince Harry, Elton John, and other individuals alleging hacking.

Although numerous celebrities have agreed to settle out-of-court, Prince Harry was insistent on appearing before a judge. The Mirror Group lawsuit is just one of the three legal actions he has taken against newspaper companies, and it is the first to go to trial.

Harry’s primary goal is to control the sensationalist media, which he holds responsible for the tragic passing of his mother, Princess Diana. He also blames them for persistently harassing him during his formative years and ultimately contributing to his and his wife Meghan’s departure from the UK.

According to his lawyer David Sherborne, he declared in a statement outside the High Court in London on Friday, “This is a significant moment for honesty and responsibility.”

Harry was granted a humble sum of 140,000 pounds ($180,000) by the judge as compensation. However, the Mirror Group may end up paying much more than that due to the potential impact of the ruling on other pending lawsuits against the company. The publisher has already settled claims of illegal information-gathering for over 100 million pounds ($126 million).

The company obtained a partial victory as the judge ruled against two of Harry’s co-claimants due to their delay in pursuing legal action.

The parent company of Mirror Group, Reach PLC, stated on Friday that the ruling is likely to result in a decrease of active claims and greatly restrict or prevent future claims related to past misconduct.

The decision could have serious consequences for Sly Bailey, former CEO of the parent company of the Mirror Group, and Paul Vickers, the former legal director of the company. The judge stated that they were both aware of the hacking and attempted to conceal it.

The revelation also adds to the stress for Piers Morgan, a former editor of the Daily Mirror who has consistently denied any knowledge of phone hacking at the publication. The judge stated that there is strong proof that all Mirror editors were aware of the widespread and frequent use of phone hacking.

Morgan restated that he has never hacked a phone or instructed someone else to do so following the verdict on Friday.

Prince Harry stated that individuals who participated in illegal activities should be held accountable and face legal consequences.

The individual stated that he is respectfully asking the authorities, financial regulator, stock market, Metropolitan Police, and prosecuting authorities to fulfill their responsibilities for the benefit of the British public. He urges them to investigate and potentially press charges against Mirror Group and those who have violated laws.

Source: wral.com