Hacking trial: Judge asks why Piers Morgan has not given evidence

Piers Morgan has 'had a lot to say' about the hacking court case according to the judge overseeing it. Credit: PA

The judge overseeing a privacy trial brought by Prince Harry and others has asked why Piers Morgan and around 30 other journalists have not given evidence.

Mr Justice Fancourt said that Mr Morgan and former editor of The People newspaper, Neil Wallis, "recently had a lot to say about this matter outside of court".

Ahead of closing submissions in the case, Mr Justice Fancourt said he had "a question in my mind" about whether several people "could and should have given some evidence".

The judge then listed out more than two dozen names, including former Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan, "in no particular order".


ITV News Correspondent Rebecca Barry delivers the latest update on court proceedings


He also said that questions had been raised about why "three or four associates of the Duke of Sussex" had not given evidence.

The remarks came ahead of closing submissions in the long-running trial.

Actor Michael Le Vell was the last of the four representative claimants whose cases are being considered as part of the trial.

The other three are the Duke of Sussex, Hollyoaks actress Nikki Sanderson and Fiona Wightman - the ex-wife of comedian Paul Whitehouse.

Michael Le Vell arrives at his trial against Mirror Group Newspapers. Credit: PA

Le Vell claimed he had "burned quite a few bridges" and has been in some "really dark places", the High Court heard in his claim against the Mirror's publisher over alleged phone hacking.

The 58-year-old, who plays Kevin Webster in the long-running soap, is suing Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) - publisher of the Daily and Sunday Mirror and the Sunday People - for damages over alleged unlawful information-gathering between 1991 and 2011.

He claims journalists at the publisher’s titles were linked to phone hacking, so-called "blagging" or gaining information by deception, and the use of private investigators for unlawful activities.

Tuesday brought the final day of evidence in the case as Mr Le Vell, who is bringing the legal action under his real name, Michael Turner, finished his time in the witness box.


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