Prince Harry court case – latest: Coronation Street star claims hair ‘set on fire’ after ‘nasty girl’ narrative

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Soap actress Nikki Sanderson said her hair was set on fire by a group of girls after Mirror articles painted her as a “stuck up, nasty, party girl”.

She said in her witness statement: “People would elbow me, push me and, on one occasion, a group of girls even set my hair on fire. This particular incident happened in the toilets of a club and the group of girls had been bothering me all night.

“I had gone to the toilets on my own and I was washing my hands and I smelt burning. I looked down and they had set fire to the back of my hair. Fortunately, I wasn’t wearing any hair product, otherwise, my hair would have gone up in flames.

She added: “It’s because of this narrative created and repeated by MGN that I was stuck up, nasty, rude, promiscuous, and a party girl. It feels like character assassination.”

Meanwhile, the Duke of Sussex has landed back in Los Angeles, after a flying visit to the UK to give evidence in his High Court phone hacking case against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN).

Key Points

  • Sanderson says her hair was ‘set on fire’ by girls after ‘character assassination’ by Mirror articles

  • Nikki Sanderson tells court phone hacking left her in ‘constant state of paranoia'

  • Prince Harry returns to US after hacking trial testimony ‘without seeing William or Charles’

  • At a glance: Key moments from Prince Harry and Mirror journalist’s testimony

  • Piers Morgan could have ‘injected’ information from voicemails into stories, court told

Sanderson says her hair was ‘set on fire’ by girls after ‘character assassination’ by Mirror articles

13:40 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Nikki Sanderson said her hair was set on fire by a group of girls after Mirror articles painted her as a “stuck up, nasty, party girl”.

She said in her witness statement: “People would elbow me, push me and, on one occasion, a group of girls even set my hair on fire. This particular incident happened in the toilets of a club and the group of girls had been bothering me all night.

“I had gone to the toilets on my own and I was washing my hands and I smelt burning. I looked down and they had set fire to the back of my hair. Fortunately, I wasn’t wearing any hair product, otherwise, my hair would have gone up in flames.

“ I can recall another occasion in a bowling alley toilet where a group of girls were threatening me with all sorts of horrible things. I barricaded myself in the toilet to escape them and luckily one of my friends came in and got me out of there, but I remember being so upset. This kind of thing was constant.

“My friends were very protective over me and they really stuck up for me but I had anxiety about this type of thing.”

Sanderson said that she had often been told by people that she was “completely different to how they thought I would be.”

She added: “It’s because of this narrative created and repeated by MGN that I was stuck up, nasty, rude, promiscuous, and a party girl. It feels like character assassination.”

 (PA)
(PA)

Sanderson claims Mirror stories created damaging narrative of ‘nasty, promiscuous party girl'

13:25 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Nikki Sanderson claimed the Mirror stories created a narrative that she was a “nasty, promiscuous party girl” and led to a backlash from the public.

She described how people would shout abuse at her in the street, push and kick her, and on one occasion set her hair on fire in the toilets of a club.

“When MGN published stories about me insinuating that I was promiscuous it was very distressing. Social media didn’t exist at the time so I had no way of putting my side out there, and so the public’s perception of me was based on these stories which used such unlawful methods to put out a certain narrative about me.

“ Being made out to be bed-hopping and sleeping with three people in one week, as The Mirror suggested in articles, was so upsetting as it was so far removed from the truth.

“The backlash from the public was also very difficult and I was subjected to both mental and physical abuse. People would shout at me in the street, calling me a whore, a slag or a slut.”

MGN ‘victim blaming’ for not bringing legal claim earlier, Nikki Sanderson tells court

13:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Nikki Sanderson also said she felt like MGN was trying to “victim-blame” her for not bringing her legal claim earlier, when she only became aware she was a target in around 2019.

“I think this is gaslighting. MGN is basically saying ‘We did something really bad but it’s your fault because you didn’t know about it’. It feels to me like abuse and is extremely upsetting.

“I am not to blame for what they did and why should they get away with it just because they hid it for so long? This only makes what they did back then worse to my mind.”

She later added: “I have used the word ‘abuse’ a number of times throughout this statement, and I do not use it lightly, but the fact is these people were in positions of power and I was a child and a young female, and I was attacked by people who were more powerful than me. I did nothing to deserve this treatment.”

Mirror Group Newspapers admits that on four occasions in 2004 and 2005 journalists used private investigators to obtain private information about Sanderson, Andrew Green KC told the court.“

MGN apologised to you unreservedly about that,” Green told Sanderson as he assured her: “It won’t happen again.”

 (PA)
(PA)

Corrie star says seeing her personal life in the papers was ‘heartbreaking,’ court hears

12:45 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Nikki Sanderson has said seeing her personal life “splashed over the papers” was “heartbreaking”.

“I suspected someone who worked in the press office at Corrie was leaking stories about me and I stopped sharing information about my private life with them as a result. I feel awful about this now.”

Sanderson said one article, which described her father as a love-rat and a 4-time wed womaniser, was particularly hurtful.

“I was so young and I was really struggling with the fact my dad was not present in my life and this article made it a lot worse. To have my personal life splashed over the papers for people to indulge in was heartbreaking.

“This is not celebrity gossip; it is my life. What made it even more upsetting is that it dragged my mum and my brother into it as well which is really hurtful as they have not chosen to be in the industry, so they don’t want their ‘dirty laundry’ all over the papers. It’s embarrassing.”

Candice Stowe, played by Nikki Sanderson in Coronation Street, in the early noughties (ITV)
Candice Stowe, played by Nikki Sanderson in Coronation Street, in the early noughties (ITV)

Nikki Sanderson tells court phone hacking left her in ‘constant state of paranoia'

12:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Nikki Sanderson told a court how phone hacking and unlawful information gathering by journalists had a “huge impact” on her life and left her in a “constant state of paranoia”.

The actress, who played Candice Stowe in Coronation Street and currently stars in Hollyoaks, said she felt she had been the victim of “abuse” because of the illegal activities of journalists for Mirror Group Newspapers.

In her witness statement for the trial at the High Court, she described the press intrusion as frightening, creepy and disturbing and told how the stories about her left her angry, upset and distressed.

She said: “MGN’s illegal activities have had a huge impact on how I navigated my life both at the time and to this day. I have spent the last 20 years of my life being hyper-aware of certain things.

“It’s ridiculous but that is the impact of what happened all those years ago.

“I can remember that I used to feel in a constant state of paranoia, and I was hyper- aware of the people that were around me. It was horrible because it made me feel like I couldn’t trust anyone as I would presume that they were selling stories to the press.”

 (PA)
(PA)

Prince Harry suffered ‘huge amount of paranoia’ from press intrusion, court told

12:10 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The Duke of Sussex lost friendships “entirely unnecessarily” due to the “paranoia” caused by alleged unlawful information gathering, the High Court has been told as part of his case against the Daily Mirror’s publisher.

On Tuesday, Prince Harry appeared in a witness box in the Rolls Building to face cross-examination by a barrister for Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) as part of his claim over alleged unlawful activities, including phone hacking.

The 38-year-old royal told the court that MGN’s alleged intrusion into his life contributed to “a huge amount of paranoia” in his relationships.

Prince Harry suffered ‘huge amount of paranoia’ from press intrusion, court told

Piers Morgan wishes Prince Harry ‘luck with privacy campaign’ as he reacts to court criticism

11:50 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Piers Morgan hit back at Prince Harry after receiving criticism from the royal during his phone hacking trial.

Appearing in court on Tuesday 6 June, the Duke of Sussex said he felt physically sick at “the thought of Piers Morgan and his band of journalists earwigging into my mother’s private and sensitive messages”.

Harry is suing Mirror Group Newspapers over alleged unlawful information gathering.

Speaking to Sky News later in the day, Mr Morgan insisted he hadn’t seen the comments, but went on to hit back, saying: “I wish him luck with his privacy campaign and look forward to reading about it in his next book.”

Piers Morgan wishes Prince Harry ‘luck with privacy campaign’ after court criticism

Prince Harry admits evidence in hacking trial contradicts claim made in Spare

11:35 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Prince Harry has admitted evidence he has given in the ongoing phone-hacking trial at the High Court contradicts a claim he made in his memoir Spare.

The Duke of Sussex was challenged over discrepancies between his autobiography Spare and his hacking trial witness statement over whether he wanted to meet ex-royal butler Paul Burrell, a former confidant of Diana, Princess of Wales.

Harry said in his witness statement that he was “firmly against” a meeting - but Andrew Green KC, for MGN, highlighted that Harry wrote in Spare that he wanted to fly back to confront Mr Burrell, who released a tell-all book about Harry’s late mother in 2003 after being cleared of stealing from her estate.

Prince Harry admits evidence in hacking trial contradicts claim made in Spare

Nikki Sanderson at High Court today

11:08 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The ongoing phone hacking trial has now begun at the High Court today, with Coronation Street star Nikki Sanderson in the witness box today.

Stay with us as we feed you the latest from the court.

 (PA)
(PA)

Prince Harry claims press intrusion led to Chelsy Davy breakup

10:42 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

In case you missed it...

Throughout his High Court trial, Prince Harry has made several bombshell claims about the publisher of the Daily Mirror, such as using unlawful information-gathering to leak details about his personal life.

In fact, much of Harry’s case against MGN has focused on his past relationship with ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy, a Zimbabwean businesswoman whom he dated from 2004 to 2011.

During his testimony on Tuesday (6 June), Harry blamed the “prying eyes of the tabloids” for ultimately leading to their breakup. “Our relationship was long distance for the majority of the time we were together, with Chelsy and I often living in different countries, so we relied on communicating by phone a lot,” he said in his 55-page witness statement obtained by The Independent.

“We, naturally, spoke about all types of personal matters, including all aspects of our relationship and this was often through voicemail,” he said. “As my girlfriend, I trusted Chelsy with the most private of information and visa versa.”

Prince Harry claims press intrusion led to Chelsy Davy breakup

More like a boy than a man – Prince Harry looked crumpled in the witness box

10:10 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Harry has never been very fond of exams, bless him, and this was certainly a cross one: the masterly Andrew Green KC peering down sternly, taking off his glasses to jab home his points, popping them back on again to peer incredulously at the prince whenever he said something silly, writes Samuel Fishwick

Opinion: More like a boy than a man – Prince Harry looked crumpled in the witness box

Government and press both ‘at rock bottom’, says Prince Harry

09:50 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Prince Harry has claimed that the UK government is at “rock bottom” in an extraordinary intervention into politics during his High Court case against a tabloid newspaper group.

The Duke of Sussex used a remarkable 55-page witness statement in his case against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) over alleged phone hacking to lash out at the standards of British government and democracy.

Accusing the government of being too “scared” of the press, he said: “Our country is judged globally by the state of our press and our government – both of which I believe are at rock bottom.”

Harry said: “Democracy fails when your press fails to scrutinise and hold the government accountable, and instead choose to get into bed with them so they can ensure the status quo.”

Government and press both ‘at rock bottom’, says Prince Harry

9 bombshell claims from Prince Harry in first witness box showdown

09:35 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Prince Harry’s decision to become the first royal in 130 years to enter a witness box has revealed a host of claims about his life and relationship with the British press, as he gave five hours of testimony in his blockbuster trial against The Mirror publisher.

In the first day of his cross-examination, the Duke of Sussex was grilled by Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) barrister Andrew Green KC over his claims to have been the victim of illegal information-gathering such as phone hacking.

While much of the interrogation on Tuesday focused on the details of 20 out of 33 articles selected to be considered at the trial, the duke also sought to land wider blows against the “bloodstained” tabloid press, its relationship with a “rock bottom” government, and former Mirror editor Piers Morgan.

The Independent has taken a look at the key moments from his first day giving evidence:

9 bombshell claims from Prince Harry in first witness box showdown

Prince Harry returns to US after hacking trial testimony ‘without seeing William or Charles’

09:19 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The Duke of Sussex has landed back in Los Angeles, after a flying visit to the UK to give evidence in his High Court phone hacking case against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN).

Prince Harry, 38, is not thought to have seen his father, the King, or his brother, the Prince of Wales, during his brief trip, despite reportedly staying at royal residence Frogmore Cottage.

Harry flew from Los Angeles to London overnight on Sunday (4 June), after spending the day celebrating his daughter Princess Lilbet’s second birthday.

This meant he missed the opening day of his claim against MGN in court, and the judge gave him a rebuke. Justice Fancourt said he was a “little surprised” that the Duke of Sussex was not in court for the first day, according to the BBC.

Prince Harry returns to US ‘without seeing William or Charles’

Nikki Sanderson: Coronation Street actor set to testify at Prince Harry’s privacy trial

08:56 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Coronation Street star Nikki Sanderson is set to testify in the media trial alleging that journalists working for Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) unlawfully gathered information about her and other public figures, including Prince Harry.

The case involves 207 newspaper articles published between 1991 and 2011 – 33 of which refer to the Duke of Sussex.

Sanderson is bringing a damages claim against MGN over the alleged unlawful gathering of information, including by voicemail interception. In May, the 39-year-old told the High Court that she was “physically assaulted” in the street following “false insinuations” published in articles by MGN.

The details of the exact articles in question have yet to be disclosed.

Everything you need to know about Coronation Street Nikki Sanderson

Coronation Street actress Nikki Sanderson in court today

08:24 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Actress Nikki Sanderson is due to enter the witness box at the High Court in London to give evidence in her claim against the publisher of the Mirror for alleged unlawful information gathering.

Former Coronation Street star Ms Sanderson, 39, is suing Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) for damages, claiming journalists at its titles - which also include the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People - were linked to methods including phone hacking, so-called “blagging” or gaining information by deception, and use of private investigators for unlawful activities.

Her case is one of four representative claims being heard in London, alongside similar claims brought by the Duke of Sussex, Coronation Street actor Michael Turner, known professionally as Michael Le Vell, and comedian Paul Whitehouse’s ex-wife Fiona Wightman.

Ms Sanderson, who played Candice Stowe in Coronation Street between 1999 and 2005, is due to enter the witness box to give evidence on Friday.

Actress Nikki Sanderson filed her claim in December 2020, her barrister said (PA Wire)
Actress Nikki Sanderson filed her claim in December 2020, her barrister said (PA Wire)

Welcome back

08:04 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Good morning and welcome back to our liveblog. Today, Coronation Street actor Nikki Sanderson will appear in the witness box to give evidence.

Stay tuned as we keep you updated with the latest from the High Court.

Piers Morgan ‘could have injected information from phone hacking into Prince Harry stories’

Thursday 8 June 2023 19:52 , Sam Rkaina

Piers Morgan could have “injected” information obtained by phone hacking into news stories about Prince Harry, a court heard.

The former editor of the Mirror was named by the Duke of Sussex’s lawyer, David Sherborne, during the ongoing trial at the High Court.

Harry, 38, alleges journalists at MGN (Mirror Group Newspapers) gathered private information about him by intercepting his personal voicemails when he was a teenager.

During questioning of the Mirror’s then royal correspondent, Jane Kerr, Mr Sherborne highlighted articles that appeared to quote a private conversation between William and Harry and the private thoughts of Harry’s father, Charles.

The lawyer claimed these details were “information that would precisely have come from people listening to voicemail messages.”

Click here for the full story.

Piers Morgan has said he has ‘never told anybody to hack a phone’ (PA Archive)
Piers Morgan has said he has ‘never told anybody to hack a phone’ (PA Archive)

Coronation Street star to testify tomorrow as court rises

Thursday 8 June 2023 17:41 , Andy Gregory

Proceedings have now finished for the day.

After introductions from her lawyer David Sherborne this afternoon, former Coronation Street actor Nikki Sanderson will appear in the witness box to give evidence tomorrow.

You can read more about today’s proceedings below:

‘Fanciful’ that private investigators were ‘only getting addresses to knock on doors'

Thursday 8 June 2023 17:20 , Peter Stubley

It is “fanciful” that private investigators were “only getting addresses to go and knock on doors”, the lawyer for Coronation Street actor Nikki Sanderson has said.

Barrister David Sherborne pointed to a Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) story titled “Girls bag bargains”, which featured photographs of Sanderson and fellow Coronation Street star Tina O’Brien shopping in Deansgate, Manchester.

Mr Sherborne argued it was “much more likely” the photographer was commissioned to go to the area rather than spotting them “by luck”.

In relation to payments to private investigators, Mr Sherborne said “the idea they were only getting addresses to go and knock on doors is fanciful.”

MGN denies that 35 of the 37 articles in the Sanderson case involved voicemail interception or unlawful information gathering.

It admits that a private investigator was used to unlawfully obtain information as part of research for the article about Sanderson’s father.

The other article, which appeared in the Irish Sunday Mirror, is classed as “not admitted” and MGN says there is no evidence of voicemail hacking or unlawful information gathering for the story.

‘Very likely’ that Coronation Street star was targeted with voicemail interception, court told

Thursday 8 June 2023 17:01 , Andy Gregory

It is “very likely” that Coronation Street star Nikki Sanderson was targeted with voicemail interception in order to establish her whereabouts, the court has been told.

One “exclusive” story brought in her case against Mirror Group Newspapers pictures of Sanderson wearing a bikini on holiday with then boyfriend Jamie Meakin on a Greek island.

Her barrister David Sherborne told the court: “We say it is very likely that Nikki Sanderson and Jamie Meakin were targeted with voicemail interception in the run up to their holiday.

“That’s how it was known where they would be.”

‘This isn’t celebrity gossip’: Actor hits out at ‘very hurtful’ story about her father’s love life

Thursday 8 June 2023 16:42 , Andy Gregory

Peter Stubley reports from the High Court:

Former Coronation Street star Nikki Sanderson has denounced a “very hurtful” newspaper story describing her father as a “love rat”.

As part of proceedings in her claim against Mirror Group Newspapers, her barrister David Sherborne discussed an article by one of the publisher’s outlets which described her father as a “4-times wed womaniser”.

Mr Sherborne read a part of his client’s witness statement to the court, in which she said: “This isn’t celebrity gossip, it’s my life”, adding: “It’s very hurtful”.

Ex-Coronation Street star ‘wrongly believed ex-partner sold story of their breakup'

Thursday 8 June 2023 16:25 , Andy Gregory

The High Court has been told that former Coronation Street star Nikki Sanderson wrongly believed her partner had sold the story about the end of their relationship to the Sunday Mirror, reports Peter Stubley.

The actress was “angry” after the report about her and Jamie Meakin appeared under the headline “Nikki Dumps Lover: I’m gutted, wails Jamie”, said her and Prince Harry’s lawyer, David Sherborne.

“She thought that Jamie had sold the story,” he said. “When in fact there is no payment to Jamie Meakin in relation to this article.”

Nikki Sanderson is at the High Court to give evidence against Mirror Group Newspapers (Lucy North/PA Wire)
Nikki Sanderson is at the High Court to give evidence against Mirror Group Newspapers (Lucy North/PA Wire)

What were the key moments in Jane Kerr’s testimony?

Thursday 8 June 2023 16:02 , Andy Gregory

With Mirror journalist Jane Kerr’s testimony having come to a close today – and, with it, the evidence in Prince Harry’s case – here are some of the key moments from her time in the witness box:

The paper’s former royal editor and assistant news editor Jane Kerr:

  • Defended claims she had commissioned third-parties to gather information for news stories “900 times” while working at the Mirror, stating that she “just made the calls” and that “it just didn’t occur to me to ask” how their information was obtained.

  • Denied Mr Sherborne’s suggestion that she “knew” journalists were using dates of birth to pass to private investigators to access people’s voicemails.

  • Stated that she has “never asked anyone to do anything unlawful” and that she “did not think there was anything wrong with using “people who were well known to the news desk”, as she “had no reason to suspect that they would be doing anything other than carrying out normal journalistic activity”.

  • Admitted that she did not want to attend court on Wednesday, after the court was told that she attempted to avoid giving evidence last week but was “ordered” to attend the trial by the judge.

  • Was defended against what MGN barrister Andrew Green claimed was an “ambush” of her in the witness box by his opposite number Mr Sherborne – a charge the judge rejected.

  • Said it was “highly unlikely” that the information former Mirror editor Piers Morgan sometimes “injected” into stories had been obtained via phone hacking, and noted that her former boss “took a really genuine interest in royal stories”.

  • Rejected the suggestion that Prince Harry was “a highly prized target” for journalists while at Eton, after the royal’s lawyer said two stories about him breaking his thumb and contracting glandular fever were “hardly consistent” with her claim that he and William were “off limits” while they were still at school.

Caroline Flack’s mother praises Prince Harry for taking on ‘horrendous’ press

Thursday 8 June 2023 14:55 , Andy Gregory

Here are more comments from Caroline Flack’s mother, Christine, about Prince Harry’s trial against Mirror Group Newspapers.

Appearing on Jeremy Vine’s Channel 5 chat show, the late TV presenter’s mother said: “Carrie was the same in her life, whenever a story appeared in the paper it causes distrust among your friends and your family, she’d say ‘Mum, have you said anything?’

“I think Harry is doing it for everybody ... and I think he’s very brave because he is getting such an awful lot of stick as well, and the people that are reporting on him are the same people he is in court against. So, it’s doubly hard.”

Ms Flack said she herself had been pursued by the paparazzi after her daughter was arrested and later found dead in February 2020 at the age of 40.

She added: “It’s horrendous what the press do, horrendous, and I’m just so pleased he’s doing something about it.”

Opinion | Being namechecked in court by Harry reveals his ignorance about journalism

Thursday 8 June 2023 14:14 , Andy Gregory

Our world affairs editor Kim Sengupta writes:

It was a huge surprise to be told that I have been named in the High Court in the trial of Prince Harry against Mirror Group Newspapers. I have had few dealings with the royal family in my lengthy career as a journalist, and what I cover – namely foreign affairs and wars – should not have involved me in this case about alleged phone hacking.

The Sunday People had published a story in May 2005 about a knee injury suffered by Harry, and described complaints by his fellow cadets that the prince was being given “preferential treatment” and was being let off taking part in “gruelling marches”.

Prince Harry told the court that the story must have come from phone hacking, and that its appearance had led to him “worrying [he] couldn’t trust anyone for fear of that it would end up splashed across the tabloids”. So serious was the effect it had on him that it led to “distrust [he] ended up having at Sandhurst with the medical staff”.

Andrew Green KC, who is representing Mirror Group Newspapers, pointed out that a similar story had appeared in The Independent. The story was by me “the respected Independent defence correspondent” - an unexpected compliment, and showed that what was happening at Sandhurst was of public interest.

Our story, which was not very long, did not come from phone hacking. The Independent did not hack Harry’s phone or anyone else’s, and nobody had ever claimed that it had. It came from something that happens all the time in journalism – information from contacts.

I was namechecked in Harry’s case. He doesn’t understand journalism | Kim Sengupta

Mirror journalist discusses story about ‘cocaine parties'

Thursday 8 June 2023 13:52 , Andy Gregory

Quizzed earlier today by Prince Harry’s lawyer, former Mirror journalist Jane Kerr said the source referred to in a story about Harry and “cocaine ecstasy and GHB parties” may have come from a source who was a contact of Jeff Edwards, the Mirror’s crime reporter.

In her witness statement, Ms Kerr said she was “aware that there was a payment to a confidential source in respect of this article” but added that the source was not one of her contacts.

Ms Kerr denies involvement in voicemail interception or “hacking” and denies instructing private investigators to gather information unlawfully. She said in her statement: “To be accused of such a thing is extremely upsetting.”

Proceedings turn to Coronation Street actor Nikki Sanderson

Thursday 8 June 2023 13:29 , Andy Gregory

Prince Harry’s fellow claimant, former Coronation Street actor Nikki Sanderson, is now the focus of today’s proceedings.

Sanderson is bringing a damages claim against MGN over the alleged unlawful gathering of information, including by voicemail interception. In May, the 39-year-old told the High Court that she was “physically assaulted” in the street following “false insinuations” published in articles by MGN.

The details of the exact articles in question have yet to be disclosed.

Sanderson first joined Coronation Street in 1999 as Candice Stowe, recurring character Sarah Platt’s (Tina O’Brien) friend from school. Prior to that, she had appeared in the children’s drama called Children’s Ward.

My colleague Peony Hirwani has more detail in this report:

Who is Nikki Sanderson?

Mirror journalist denies schoolboy Harry was ‘highly prized target'

Thursday 8 June 2023 13:08 , Andy Gregory

The Mirror’s former royal editor Jane Kerr has rejected the suggestion that Prince Harry was “a highly prized target” for journalists while at Eton, Peter Stubley reports.

The Duke of Sussex’s barrister David Sherborne questioned her in detail about two stories which referred to Harry breaking his thumb aged 16 and catching “kissing disease” glandular fever aged 17.

Mr Sherborne said they were “hardly consistent” with her claim that the princes were “off limits” while they were still at school.

Kerr said the injury story was a follow up of a Press Association story ‘which has effectively been confirmed by the palace.”

She claimed the information that doctors had told Harry not to play football for a few weeks “would have come from the palace”. She rejected the suggestion she would have got the information from a private investigator.

Asked about the kissing story, which was marked “exclusive”, she said: “it was such a long time ago, I was writing hundreds of stories, I don’t remember the background of the story.”

Mr Sherborne said “stories about Prince Harry were a highly prized target”.

Kerr said: “I don’t think that’s true. It wouldn’t have been my decision to run the story, it would have been the editor [Piers Morgan].

Piers Morgan could have ‘injected’ information obtained from voicemails into stories, court told

Thursday 8 June 2023 12:46

Peter Stubley reports:

Former Mirror editor Piers Morgan could have “injected” information that he had obtained from voicemails into royal stories, the High Court was told.

David Sherborne, acting for the Duke of Sussex, made the allegation while questioning the newspaper’s former royal correspondent Jane Kerr, as he noted that one story about Harry contained information that did not appear in other reports and references to the the private thoughts of the then-Prince Charles.

“That is information that would precisely have come from people listening to voicemail messages,” the lawyer said, adding: “Mr Morgan may have injected information he obtained from voicemails.”

Ms Kerr replied: “I can’t say he didn’t but I think it would be highly unlikely”, and said that if Morgan contributed to a story she did not know where the information came from.

“He might say he had a been speaking to somebody at the palace,” Kerr said. “He took a really genuine interest in royal stories and the work and would often come over.”

Courtroom sketch shows cross-examination of Mirror journalist

Thursday 8 June 2023 12:16 , Andy Gregory

Here is a courtroom sketch of former Mirror journalist Jane Kerr, who has been questioned by Prince Harry’s lawyer David Sherborne once again this morning, with the duke’s fellow claimant, Coronation Street actor Nikki Sanderson, soon to follow.

 (Elizabeth Cook/PA Wire)
(Elizabeth Cook/PA Wire)

One journalist has this take on the atmosphere in the High Court today.

Caroline Flack ‘knew phone was being hacked when seeing Prince Harry’, mother says

Thursday 8 June 2023 10:59 , Andy Gregory

Caroline Flack “knew her phone was being hacked” at the time she was seeing Prince Harry, the late TV presenter’s mother has claimed, echoing his claims in court yesterday.

Calling the Duke of Sussex “incredibly brave”, Christine Flack said Harry was “doing this for everybody” as he takes on Mirror Group Newspapers over allegations of unlawful information-gathering.

She said: “Carrie was the same [as the duke] in her life – whenever a story appeared in the paper, it causes distress among your friends and your family. She said, ‘Mum, have you said anything?’

“But when she was seeing Harry, she knew her phone was being hacked, so we used to use a different telephone, and I believe they tried hacking our phones as well.”

At yesterday’s hearing, the court heard how the duke grew to suspect his friend Caroline after the pair were photographed by photographers waiting under a car for them at a dinner party, with the pictures appearing in a 2009 story in The People headlined, “Harry’s date with Gladiator star”.

 (Court handout/PA Wire)
(Court handout/PA Wire)

Former Mirror journalist Jane Kerr back in witness box

Thursday 8 June 2023 10:19 , Andy Gregory

Former Mirror journalist Jane Kerr is back in the witness box this morning, after the judge criticised “timetabling” issues at the day’s close yesterday.

Prince Harry’s lawyer David Sherborne said he had around 90 minutes of further questions for the paper’s former royal editor, which was scheduled to start slightly earlier this morning, as Ms Kerr already had a prior appointment.

Opinion | At first, it didn’t look good for Harry – but the tide turned

Thursday 8 June 2023 09:43 , Andy Gregory

Samuel Fishwick, deputy editor of Independent Voices, was at the High Court yesterday. Here is his take on the Duke of Sussex’s historic testimony:

At first, things didn’t look good for Harry: try as we might to strain our ears, his voice deep and breathy, he didn’t put up a shred of hard evidence to explicitly prove any of the Mirror Group Newspapers’ stories – lurid as they were about his youthful misadventures – in question leant on “unlawful information gathering”.

Instead, coincidences were deemed “incredibly suspicious”; “highly suspicious”; or viewed with “incredible amounts of suspiciousness”. There was a lot of suspicion to go around. But where was the crunch? He says he’s been “consistently hacked” for 15 years and that “it could have been happening on a daily basis” – then added that the lack of evidence is “part of the reason I’m here”.

But the tide turned. The funny thing is that Harry actually wears the witness box rather well. He soaked up Green’s early barbs like a plush pin cushion. His broad shoulders filled it squarely. He shrugged off the punchy KC like a prize boxer for more than seven full hours. A bruising encounter, yes. But Green didn’t appear to land any palpable hits.

Opinion: More like a boy than a man – Prince Harry looked crumpled in the witness box

Former tabloid journalist claims ‘we did much worse’ to Harry’s father

Thursday 8 June 2023 09:29 , Andy Gregory

A former News of the World journalist has claimed “we did much worse” to King Charles as he defended claims of the press treatment of Prince Harry.

Asked whether, as someone who has admitted being involved in phone hacking, he feels any guilt or shame, the newspaper’s former deputy features editor Paul McMullan told Good Morning Britain: “Well not really, because we did much worse to his dad.

“And his dad just dismissed it [as], ‘oh, those annoying newspaper people’, and got over it.”

Accepting the host’s point that phone hacking is illegal, Mr McMullan said, “it was, but well you could say that taking drugs is illegal”.

Claiming to note that there is a “balance” between people in the public sphere’s mental health and press scrutiny of their behaviour, he continued: “I chased [Harry’s late] mother a lot ... I chased her round the world for about five years.”

Lilibet birthday snub is ‘a reflection of strained relationship’ in royal family, expert says

Thursday 8 June 2023 09:04 , Andy Gregory

A royal expert has said that the radio silence from senior members of the royal family on Princess Lilibet Diana’s second birthday reflected the “strained relationship” between the King and Lilibet’s parents, my colleague Ellie Muir reports.

Last year, the official Twitter accounts for the royal family, King Charles and Queen Camilla, plus that of the Prince and Princess of Wales, all wished Lilibet a happy first birthday.

But as the young royal turned two on Sunday, neither of the three Twitter accounts publicly sent their birthday wishes to the young royal, who is the only daughter and second child of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle.

Lilibet birthday snub ‘reflects strained relationship’ in royal family, expert says

Piers Morgan says he will ‘maintain a dignified silence’ on Harry trial

Thursday 8 June 2023 08:49 , Andy Gregory

Former Mirror editor Piers Morgan has claimed he will “maintain a dignified silence” until the Prince Harry’s phone hacking case has concluded, after the Duke of Sussex took aim at the presenter in his testimony this week.

Approached in the street by Channel 4 News reporters, Mr Morgan insisted that he “can’t say anything until this is over”.

Pressed again for this thoughts, he added: “I would love to, as you can probably imagine, but unusually I’m going to maintain a dignified silence until it is all over.”

9 bombshell claims from Prince Harry in first witness box showdown

Thursday 8 June 2023 08:15 , Matt Mathers

Prince Harry’s decision to become the first royal in 130 years to enter a witness box has revealed a host of claims about his life and relationship with the British press, as he gave five hours of testimony in his blockbuster trial against The Mirror publisher.

Andy Gregory takes a look at some of the most explosive claims made by the prince:

9 bombshell claims from Prince Harry in first witness box showdown

What the papers say - 8 June

Thursday 8 June 2023 07:45 , Matt Mathers

Prince Harry’s legal case against the publisher of the Daily Mirror makes the front of several newspapers this morning.

Metro focuses on a claim by the duke that he found a tracker on the car of Chelsy Davies, his ex-girlfriend.

The Times, Telegraph and i cover comments by an “emotional” duke, who said he went to court to protect wife Meghan.

In a comment piece, the Daily Mail says King Charles must banish Harry to “private life” if he carries on his “facile assault” on the government.

Here’s how the UK press covered day two of the case:

What the papers say – June 8

Comment: More like a boy than a man – Prince Harry looked crumpled in the witness box

Thursday 8 June 2023 07:30 , Matt Mathers

Harry has never been very fond of exams, bless him, and this was certainly a cross one: the masterly Andrew Green KC peering down sternly, taking off his glasses to jab home his points, popping them back on again to peer incredulously at the prince whenever he said something silly, writes Samuel Fishwick

Read Samuel’s full piece here:

Opinion: More like a boy than a man – Prince Harry looked crumpled in the witness box

Why is a US think-tank seeking the release of the Duke of Sussex’s application form?

Thursday 8 June 2023 07:13 , Matt Mathers

Prince Harry has been giving evidence at the High Court in London this week as part of a landmark legal action against Mirror Group Newspapers, which he is suing for damages after alleging that journalists at its titles had resorted to underhand methods to secure stories about him and his family, including phone hacking, gaining information by deception and employing private investigators for unlawful activities.

“How much more blood will stain their typing fingers before someone can put a stop to this madness?” he wrote in his 55-page witness statement, accusing the tabloid media of bad practice.

But the Duke of Sussex, 38, is also currently the subject of a second court case due to get underway on the other side of the Atlantic on Tuesday.

Joe Sommerland takes a look at why:

Why is a US think-tank seeking the release of Prince Harry’s visa application form?

Harry urged to provide ‘hard evidence’ to back phone hacking claims

Wednesday 7 June 2023 20:07 , Sam Rkaina

Prince Harry was repeatedly asked to provide “hard evidence” to support his newspaper phone hacking claims on Wednesday, as he told the High Court he brought the case to protect his wife Meghan from abuse.

Despite his suspicions of widespread hacking, the Duke of Sussex said he “didn’t know” the answer to questions put to him by Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) lawyer Andrew Green KC 18 times in just three hours.

The 38-year-old prince accused publishers of “industrial-scale destruction of evidence” and blamed a lack of call data on the alleged use of “burner” phones, of which no record would be kept.

“I believe phone-hacking was on an industrial scale across at least three of the papers at the time and that is beyond doubt,” he told the court.

Click here for the full story on Wednesday’s court hearing.

Prince Harry leaves the High Court in London after he finished giving evidence on Wednesday (PA)
Prince Harry leaves the High Court in London after he finished giving evidence on Wednesday (PA)

Journalist presented with ‘blagging’ email

Wednesday 7 June 2023 18:30 , Sam Rkaina

In court, Mirror journalist Jane Kerr was questioned about commissioning South Africa-based private investigator Mike Behr to cover a story about Harry’s then-girlfriend Chelsy Davy as her name was on two invoices.

She said she would have asked him to make “calls” on the story and get information from his “contacts”.

David Sherborne read from a joint email written by Mr Behr in December 2007, to Rebecca English, the Daily Mail’s royal editor and Duncan Larcombe, the former royal editor of The Sun, to illustrate the private investigator’s “methods”.

He said “…there we have in wonderful detail all of the flight details, the seat number, flight times, the flight number…” and asked Ms Kerr “He’s blagging flight details, isn’t he?”.

She replied “yes” adding “I don’t know how he got this information, I’ve never seen this.”

He read from another email headlined “Chelsy Airline Search” from Mr Behr to Mr Larcombe which discussed payment arrangements and how he had already billed Ms English.

Harry pictured with Chelsy Davy (Getty Images)
Harry pictured with Chelsy Davy (Getty Images)

Supporter shouts ‘we love you’ as Harry leaves court

Wednesday 7 June 2023 18:07 , Sam Rkaina

The Duke of Sussex has left the High Court after giving evidence in his case against Mirror Group Newspapers.

Harry left the Rolls Building in central London at 5.10pm and got into a black Range Rover, ignoring questions from reporters but waving as he got into the car.

Sultana Rasheed, a GP, shouted “thank you Prince Harry, we love you Prince Harry” as the duke left the Rolls Building in a Range Rover.

“I really support Prince Harry, I really support what he stands for,” she said. “I think he’s been badly harassed.”

 (Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

Watch: Prince Harry leaves High Court after his second day of phone hacking testimony

Wednesday 7 June 2023 17:53 , Andy Gregory

Opinion | More like a boy than a man – Prince Harry crumpled in the witness box

Wednesday 7 June 2023 17:27 , Andy Gregory

Giving his take on today’s events at the High Court, Independent Voices deputy editor Samuel Fishwick writes:

Breezing into the building with a smile flickering around the edges of his beard, Prince Harry started the day cheerfully enough, clutching a wad of notes nervously like a GCSE student rolling out of bed for finals.

By the end, he looked as pale and limp as his lime green tie.

As his lawyer, the nasal silk David Sherbourne KC, asked him how he was holding up, the eyes of the world on him, Prince Harry choked and looked hard at his shoelaces. “It’s a lot,” said Harry.

It’s not every day you see a King’s Counsel duking it out with a prince of the realm. At times here, he was made to look more like a boy again than a grown-up father of two – isolated and alone.

Opinion: More like a boy than a man – Prince Harry crumpled in the witness box

At a glance: Key moments from Prince Harry and Mirror journalist’s testimony today

Wednesday 7 June 2023 17:08 , Andy Gregory

With court proceedings having concluded for the day, after taking in lengthy cross-examination of Prince Harry and former Mirror journalist Jane Kerr, here are some of the key moments of the day:

  • Prince Harry said he was bringing his cases against newspaper publishers to put a stop to the “absolute intrusion and hate that was coming towards me and my wife and see if there was any way to find a different course of action, rather than relying on the institution’s way”.

  • The Duke of Sussex appeared to fight back tears as he was asked about his experience in the witness box describing years of press intrusion, to which he eventually replied: “It’s a lot.”

  • The royal claimed that he had found a tracking device on his ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy’s car which he alleged had been placed there by private investigator.

  • Asked by MGN’s barrister if he was aware that claimants in the 2015 phone hacking trial against the newspaper publisher had “extensive call data” showing calls to their mobile phones, the duke said he was not aware of that, and insisted the lack of such data in his claim “absolutely” did not suggest he was not also a victim of hacking because journalists could have used “burner phones”.

  • The duke claimed hacking phones had been a “risk worth the reward” for journalists and claimed that police did not “know how to deal with” such allegations when they first surfaced.

  • Harry was grilled over a 2006 People article about a visit of his to a lap-dancing club, discussing “quotes from the Lithuanian lap dancer who sat on my lap” in a Sunday People article from 2006.

In some highlights of her own testimony under questioning by Prince Harry’s barrister David Sherborne, the Mirror’s former royal editor and assistant news editor Jane Kerr:

  • Defended claims she had commissioned third-parties to gather information for news stories “900 times” while working at the Mirror, stating that she “just made the calls” and that “it just didn’t occur to me to ask” how their information was obtained.

  • Denied Mr Sherborne’s suggestion that she “knew” journalists were using dates of birth to pass to private investigators to access people’s voicemails.

  • Stated that she has “never asked anyone to do anything unlawful” and that she “did not think there was anything wrong with using “people who were well known to the news desk”, as she “had no reason to suspect that they would be doing anything other than carrying out normal journalistic activity”.

  • Admitted that she did not want to attend court on Wednesday, after the court was told that she attempted to avoid giving evidence last week but was “ordered” to attend the trial by the judge.

  • Was defended against what MGN barrister Andrew Green claimed was an “ambush” of her in the witness box by his opposite number Mr Sherborne – a charge the judge rejected.

  • Was asked to return again to court for a further 90 minutes of questioning by Mr Sherborne, after today’s proceedings appeared to run over time.

Court session concludes with Mirror journalist to return to witness box on Thursday

Wednesday 7 June 2023 16:46 , Andy Gregory

The court session has concluded for the day, with the judge telling Mirror journalist Jane Kerr not to discuss her evidence with anyone until she returns to court tomorrow.

Prince Harry’s barrister David Sherborne said he would likely question Ms Kerr for a further 90 minutes on Thursday despite her not being due to give evidence again and having an appointment mid-morning.

The judge told the barrister he was “running out of patience” with “timetabling issues”, saying: “We seem to run into a problem every day ... [it’s] ridiculous".

Towards the end of her questioning by Mr Sherborne, Ms Kerr was asked about a number of individuals and agencies who she had commissioned to source information for stories while working at the newspaper.

Those included some sources which the barrister said she had used, but were absent from her witness statement, to which Ms Kerr said she had been presented with a list of names and asked to say which of those she recognised.

In discussion of some sources, Ms Kerr said she had “no reason to ask them” whether what they were doing was lawful, adding that she had “no reason to suspect” they were doing anything other than “carrying out usual journalistic activities”.

Mirror journalist ‘never asked anyone to do anything unlawful'

Wednesday 7 June 2023 16:22 , Andy Gregory

Former Daily Mirror journalist Jane Kerr told the court that she has “never asked anyone to do anything unlawful”.

While being cross-examined by Prince Harry’s lawyer David Sherborne about her use of private investigators, the journalist said she had “no reason to believe” details had been obtained unlawfully.

She told the court: “These were people who were well known to the news desk, I did not think there was anything wrong with using them.

Ms Kerr added: “I had no reason to suspect that they would be doing anything other than carrying out normal journalistic activity ... I know I have never asked anyone to do anything unlawful.”

Mr Sherborne questioned how, if Ms Kerr can’t remember what anyone did, how she can say whether it was lawful or unlawful.

Mirror journalist ‘had no reason’ to believe third-parties were behaving unlawfully

Wednesday 7 June 2023 16:11 , Andy Gregory

In court, David Sherborne, representing the Duke of Sussex, Mirror journalist Jane Kerr used “a large number of private investigators and other third parties whilst [she was] at Mirror Group Newspapers”.

In her written statement, Ms Kerr said she had been told of payment records from AJK Research and Commercial and Legal Services (UK) Limited which refer to her name. She said recalled using the services of the directors of Commercial and Legal Services UK “to ask them to look up an address that was listed on the electoral roll”.

Ms Kerr said that when she was on the newsdesk “in charge of getting reporters out” and there was a “big story breaking” she might have asked them to “look up the names and addresses on the electoral roll”. “My name might appear on the invoices because of this,” Ms Kerr said.

She also said she was familiar with the name of the director of AJK Research, saying he used “to do genealogy/family tree research and he used birth, deaths and marriage registers to do this”.

“I had no reason to believe the practices used by these suppliers were unlawful,” Ms Kerr said.

Mirror journalist discusses Harry ‘drug-taking' story

Wednesday 7 June 2023 16:08 , Andy Gregory

While Jane Kerr’s byline is on 10 of the 33 articles being examined in court, about which Prince Harry has complained, Ms Kerr in some instances said she could not recall the story or its source – echoing the duke’s own testimony earlier.

In relation to a January 2002 Daily Mirror article entitled “Harry’s cocaine ecstasy and GHB parties”, Ms Kerr said in her witness statement that she was following up a News of the World story and would have called St James’s Palace to get confirmation.

“I cannot recall this story well and I do not know the source of the quotes in this article,” she said, adding it is likely to have come from a contact of her crime correspondent colleague who was jointly bylined.

She added: “I am aware that there was a payment to a confidential source in respect of this article but the source was not one of my contacts.”

Judge rejects barrister’s claim Prince Harry’s lawyer is ‘ambushing’ Mirror journalist

Wednesday 7 June 2023 16:03 , Andy Gregory

The judge has rejected a claim by the Mirror Group’s lawyer that Prince Harry’s barrister was conducting an “ambush” of journalist Jane Kerr, which he claimed was “terribly unfair”.

But Judge Mr Justice Fancourt replied: “It’s not an ambush.”

Mirror journalist grilled over ‘magical’ provision of phone numbers

Wednesday 7 June 2023 15:56 , Andy Gregory

The Mirror’s former royal editor and assistant news editor Jane Kerr is currently being questioned by Prince Harry’s lawyer David Sherborne.

In her witness statement, Ms Kerr has described calling various agencies who provided phone numbers the paper needed to cover breaking news.

Ms Kerr said she “knew what she was doing but it was a long time ago”, after Mr Sherborne claimed she seemed “to have no idea of what you were doing at the time”.

Pressing further, the barrister asked: “You called up people, you had no idea what they did – they magically produced phone numbers and you never asked any questions?”, to which Ms Kerr replied: “Yes.”

In her witness statement, Ms Kerr said: “I would like to reiterate in the strongest terms that I have never engaged in voicemail interception at MGN or elsewhere and I have never instructed private investigators or other third parties to engage in unlawful information gathering activities.

“I worked hard and honestly as a journalist, always believing I was doing the right thing, and I felt proud and privileged to be the Mirror’s royal reporter. To be accused of such a thing is extremely upsetting.”

Judge asks Harry about his disappearing voicemails

Wednesday 7 June 2023 15:46 , Andy Gregory

Prior to the conclusion of his testimony, Prince Harry was asked by the judge when he first began to notice that his voicemails did not appear to be “new” when he listened to them – suggesting that someone else had already listened to them.

In his witness statement, Harry says he was first issued a mobile “by the institution” while at Eton, over which period he would hear voicemails that were no longer “new” – which at the time blamed on either a technical glitch or “having had too many drinks the night before”.

As he departed the witness box, the judge, Mr Justice Fancourt, zoned in on this aspect of his testimony, asking when the duke experienced “this strange activity”.

“From the moment I had a mobile phone,” replied Prince Harry, to which the judge asked: “Are you saying this continued throughout the period?”

“It never stopped,” the duke replied.

‘I just made the calls: Mirror journalist defends commissioning firm to find information ‘900 times'

Wednesday 7 June 2023 15:27 , Andy Gregory

Prince Harry’s lawyer claims to have evidence that former Mirror journalist Jane Kerr commissioned a third-party company 900 times to obtain details about people, such as their dates of birth and addresses.

Barrister David Sherborne told the court that internal emails showed “concern” at the paper about the sums being spent on such firms given that a database there allowing its staff to do similar searches for free.

After Ms Kerr said she “just made the calls”, Mr Sherborne said: “You were the assistant news editor at the Daily Mirror. You’re telling the court you instructed a company 900 times to do something you could have done for free and you’ve no idea how they obtained this information?”

“It just didn’t occur to me to ask,” she replied, prompting Mr Sherborne to suggest that she “knew” journalists were using dates of birth to pass to private investigators to access people’s voicemails – which she denied.

In her witness statement, Ms Kerr said: “I have never engaged in voicemail interception at MGN or elsewhere and I have never engaged the services of private investigators or other third parties to engage in unlawful information gathering activities.”

Mirror journalist questioned over role not mentioned in witness statement

Wednesday 7 June 2023 15:16 , Andy Gregory

In questioning by Prince Harry’s lawyer, former Mirror royal editor Jane Kerr has been asked why she did not mention her former role as the paper’s assistant news editor in her witness statement.

Pressed on the matter by barrister David Sherborne, who claimed she was trying to distance herself from the paper, Ms Kerr said that while she could have included it in her witness statement, she was focusing on the work she did as royal editor and royal reporter.

I launched hacking claim to protect Meghan, says Harry

Wednesday 7 June 2023 15:10 , Adam Forrest

Earlier today, Prince Harry said he had launched his phone hacking case to stop his wife Meghan from suffering “intrusion and hate” from the press, the High Court has heard.

Andrew Green KC, acting on behalf of Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), asked when the Duke of Sussex initially discussed possible legal action.

Harry said he believed there was a discussion about him wanting to put a stop to the “absolute intrusion and hate that was coming towards me and my wife and see if there was any way to find a different course of action, rather than relying on the institution’s way”.

Mr Green asked if he had wanted to bring an action against News Group Newspapers (NGN) first and then decided to also sue MGN, to which Harry replied: “No, I believe I filed the claims at pretty much the same time.” Harry added that there was “industrial-scale destruction of evidence on all sides”.