Judge Allows Prince Harry’s Snooping Lawsuit Against Publisher Of The Sun Tabloid To Go To Trial

etcanada.com:

Prince Harry’s lawsuit accusing the publisher of The Sun tabloid of unlawfully snooping on him can go to trial, but not on claims of phone hacking, a High Court judge ruled Thursday.

The Duke of Sussex alleged the publisher of The Sun and the now-defunct News Of The World had hacked his phone and used investigators and deception to unlawfully gather information on him dating back two decades. READ MORE: Prince Harry Slams Tabloids For Their ‘Utterly Vile’ Behaviour As He Gives Evidence In Phone Hacking Trial News Group Newspapers (NGN), which is owned by Rupert Murdoch, argued that the suit should be thrown because the claims were brought after the six-year limitation to do so expired.

Justice Timothy Fancourt said Harry was well enough aware of the phone hacking scandal to bring those claims sooner, but could proceed on allegations about other unlawful information gathering (UIG), such as the use of private investigators hired to dig up dirt on him. “There is no evidence currently before me that the Duke knew before the (deadline to file a suit) that NGN had done anything other than hack his mobile phone (at the News of the World),” Fancourt wrote. “Knowing or being on notice of a worthwhile claim for voicemail interception does not of itself amount to knowledge or notice of a worthwhile claim for other forms of UIG.” A spokesperson for News Group Newspapers called the ruling a “significant victory” that “substantially reduces the scope of his legal claim.” READ MORE: Prince Harry Says ‘Prying Eyes’ Of The Tabloids Was ‘The Main Factor’ In Split From Chelsy Davy The ruling was similar to one Fancourt made in May in a companion case brought by actor Hugh Grant, that also tossed out phone hacking charges.