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Elizabeth Hurley Testifies Against Daily Mail Publisher in Privacy Invasion Case
Elizabeth Hurley delivered emotional testimony Thursday in London’s High Court, accusing the publisher of the Daily Mail of extensive privacy violations including phone tapping, placing microphones outside her windows, and stealing her medical records during her pregnancy.
“The best way I can describe it is like there is someone peeping into your life and into your home,” the model and actor told the court. “It makes me feel as if my private life had been violated by violent intruders — that there had been sinister thieves in my home all along and that I had been living with them completely unaware.”
Hurley is the second witness to testify in a high-profile lawsuit that includes several prominent co-claimants, including Prince Harry and Sir Elton John. The group alleges Associated Newspapers Ltd., which publishes the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, hired private investigators to unlawfully monitor them over a period spanning two decades.
Prince Harry, who appeared in court to support Hurley’s testimony, had himself become emotional in the witness box the previous day when describing the toll his ongoing battle with British media has taken on his family. The Duke of Sussex has been engaged in multiple legal battles with the British press, including similar phone hacking lawsuits against the publishers of the Daily Mirror and The Sun.
Associated Newspapers has categorically denied the allegations, dismissing them as “preposterous.” The company maintains that its reporting relied on legitimate sources, many of whom will be identified during the nine-week trial as the publisher presents its defense.
Hurley claims that 15 articles published between 2002 and 2011 were based on information obtained through unlawful means. Several of these articles concerned the 2002 birth of her son, Damian, and the subsequent paternity dispute with his father, the late film producer Steve Bing.
“The Mail’s unlawful acts against me involve landline tapping my phones and recording my live telephone conversations, placing surreptitious mics on my home windows, stealing my medical information when I was pregnant with Damian, and other monstrous, staggering things,” Hurley testified.
She became visibly upset when shown some of these articles in court, expressing concern about their impact on her now-adult son, who was present in the courtroom. Damian Hurley has followed his mother into the entertainment industry as a model and actor.
“I felt really mortified that my son would be able to read all this stuff one day, and I feel really bad that that day is today when all this stuff is being regurgitated,” she said. “Yet again, everyone’s privacy is being invaded in this terrible way, and I feel very helpless about that.”
According to Hurley, she was unaware of these alleged activities until 2020, when she was informed that Gavin Burrows, a former private investigator, had claimed to have stolen her information at the newspapers’ request. Burrows has since retracted his sworn statement and denied ever working for the Mail.
This case represents a significant challenge to British tabloid journalism practices and forms part of a wider legal reckoning following the phone hacking scandal that led to the closure of the News of the World in 2011. The current proceedings have drawn international attention due to the high-profile nature of the claimants and the serious nature of the allegations.
The trial continues in London’s High Court, with proceedings expected to last nine weeks as both sides present their evidence in what has become one of the most closely watched media lawsuits in recent British legal history.
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7 Comments
This case serves as an important reminder of the delicate balance between press freedom and personal privacy. Clearly, the Daily Mail crossed a line and took things too far.
Absolutely. The public deserves transparency, but not at the expense of individual privacy. Stricter regulations may be necessary to prevent such blatant disregard for people’s rights.
The testimony from Ms. Hurley and Prince Harry highlights the urgent need for stronger privacy protections and oversight of media practices. This type of abuse of power cannot be tolerated.
Violating someone’s medical records and personal space is a despicable invasion of privacy. The Daily Mail must be held accountable for these unethical actions.
It’s appalling to hear about the lengths the Daily Mail went to in order to invade Ms. Hurley’s privacy. No one should have to endure that level of intrusion and violation.
I agree, the media must be held accountable for these egregious privacy breaches. Journalists should operate with integrity and respect for people’s right to privacy.
This is a serious invasion of privacy and a violation of trust. The media should respect people’s personal lives and not engage in such unethical practices.