Duke of Sussex & Others v ANL: thread 2

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This is a continuation of the discussion on the previous thread:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/the_royal_family/5443044-duke-of-sussex-court-case-key-witness-statement-false?page=1

We are following the court case on the

I'm hoping for both Amazon AND Netflux shows out of this. I also understand why Burrows is in hiding.

There is a very interesting analysis from the R-site that someone pointed me to by a (non-UK I think) lawyer covering last week

It explains a lot of the background and why ANL are playing hardball and not settling like MGN and NGN (basically the Sun and the Mirror had admitted guilt during Leveson and started from a negative position - so the question was how much damages whereas ANL have always denied liability).

It also discussed why Judge Nicklin wants the evidence properly heard because the claimants case seems to revolve around the idea that it was "common UK media culture so everyone was doing it". But the claimants will need to prove this at a higher level as they haven't been found guilty of UIG previously.

https://archive.ph/u8GGX

Had just been reading that 😊

Thanks for the link @Lunde, so interesting.

If anyone other than HMRC demanded my bank statements especially to use against me in court you get a firm FO!! They are not the bloody KGB!
The suggestion of demands, paid accommodation, restaurants etc to an 'overwhelmed' female being wined and dined by some bloke with a lot of money, is close to coercion.

I hope these payments all have itemised invoices attached and declared on tax returns because a lot of it is sounding like cash under the table, if I was HMRC I would be taking a close look at these peoples tax returns! including the LH 350k donation!

When someone tells you they are a journalist (DL), it doesnt matter who they say they are associated with, DL is not that naïve. Every media outlet lifts stories from the others.

It sounds like Hacked off should be investigated under the same rules of Levenson!

Journalism is supposed to be investigative, the problem is who the public want to read about. No good them doing stories that are admirable but dont get clicks, it is a money business. Most readers want gossip not doom.

It seems to be evolving into a Hacked Off v ANL case. I do hope Hacked Off are investigated after this, they seem to be running their own little mafia territory.

What is the Judge's scope of action here, does anyone know? If he sees clear evidence of illegal behaviour can he refer it to the police and insist on an investigation or does he have other powers. I know in films the 'bad guys' get hauled away as the credits roll but real life doesn't do that!

This is brilliant and makes it really easy to understand. Thank you so much 🙏

@Lundethank you for that article. It’s actually a really interesting case. There’s a lot at stake.

Does anyone know who is giving evidence today? It's hard to keep track of the case now that the press are only covering celebrities.

Although I expect they'll cover Elton

I’m trying to get to the bottom of Hacked Off’s position on SLAPPs and SLAPP reform, starting with any reported statements, writings and comments involving the current CEO (Nathan Sparkes) and the Chair of the Board (Hugh Tomlinson KC, Matrix Chambers).

(SLAPP = Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation)

It would appear to be … complicated.

Hugh Tomlinson KC for example was named in Parliament in March 2022 by Bob Seeley MP as working on behalf on Russian clients (‘oligarchs’) to silence rivals and critics. I found it in the Law Gazette.

Hugh Tomlinson KC then said at a press regulation justice conference in 2025 that ‘the likely outcome of plans for SLAPP reform is that costly defamation cases will become even more expensive’, which is a pretty partial stance to take and contingent on other factors that may or not happen with Parliament and the Press that may or may not be influenced by Hacked Off. But he seems to have been attending this conference as a barrister. Who know?? There’s potential conflicts of interest flying around everywhere, including barristers with inside knowledge of the Leveson Inquiry closed sessions.

https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/tory-mp-names-amoral-lawyers-working-for-russian-clients-to-muzzle-critics/5111692.article

https://www.hackedoff.org/blog-posts/reputation-2025-insights-from-lawyers-regulators-experts

Thanks @TheAutumnCrow - will look at that later

Heading out today, so will have to catch up on developments later

The Press Association schedule says Evan Harris is continuing his evidence today - so it looks like Doreen Lawrence didn't start yesterday and any reference to her was from her written statement. That Telegraph piece was so confusingly written....

Very interesting articles - thank you 🙏

Images incoming. Evan Harris, Consultant to Harry’s legal team (David Sherborne) and Hugh Grant’s lackey.

Wow, that's a long time for Harris to be giving evidence. Three days! Squeaky bum time.

I think Paul Dacre might get a couple of days too - I imagine he’s raring to go now.

Yes, I think Dacre is down for a couple of days, as far as I know, and will be Associated's first witness. But the schedule is already very out of whack, interestingly - i saw a draft version before the case started. DL was supposed to be up after Harry.... Take from that what you will.

I can't open the archive https://archive.ph/u8GGX

@GwendolineFairfax8
I have several Russian oligarch customers they are no different to any other billionaire, people don't get that eye wateringly rich by playing by the rules, they are richer than most countries. To suggest the Russians are more likely to be gangsters than a greek shipping magnate is a bit naïve. The royal family are pretty shady when it comes to money!
The extremely wealthy I know have their own in house business staff including lawyers and financiers bit like the newspaper corporations. They don't need to hire in amoral lawyers.

They're a bit different since sanctions against Russia, surely?

I doubt anyone could become a billionaire without being amoral, but since Russia has exported violence against Ukraine, plus critics such as Navalny, the Skripals etc doesn't it start to become an international issue?

Another bad day in court for the claimants - Evan Harris claimed to have known nothing about an intelligence gathering report by convicted hacker Graham Johnson - but White, the ANL barrister produced evidence that he had edited and rewritten parts of it.

Archived Telegraph article

https://archive.is/cy76a

Today's Telegraph report:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/2df5665317b5ad33

Another bad day for Hacked Off then

Just read this link, fascinating.

I couldn’t understand why the earlier questioning of Harry, LH and SF appeared to lack teeth.

This quote makes so much sense.

@binkie163 are you using a VPN?