The Duke of Sussex has accused the press of having “blood” staining their “typing fingers”, with some responsible for causing pain, upset and death.
In an impassioned part of his witness statement, Harry said that journalists are the “mothership of online trolling”.
“Trolls react and mobilise to stories they create. People have died as a result, and people will continue to kill themselves by suicide when they can’t see any other way out,” the duke said.
“How much more blood will stain their typing fingers before someone can put a stop to this madness(?)”
The duke entered the witness box at The Rolls Building of the High Court earlier today to give evidence in his individual case against MGN over alleged unlawful information gathering.
In his witness statement, he described how he and his wife the Duchess of Sussex had faced “constant harassment” and abuse from the tabloids over the past six years.
He said he was “disgusted” at the cover-up over the alleged unlawful information gathering and would have tried to seek justice earlier if he had known about it.
“Having experienced what I have over the last six years in terms of the constant harassment (online and off), intimidation and abuse that my wife and I have suffered at the hands of the tabloids, this sort of appalling behaviour doesn’t really surprise me,” he said.
He warned that without proper press regulation, which he accused the current government of “clearly” having “no appetite for because their friends in the press said so”, press harassment would only get worse.
Harry said finding out about the “level of cover-up is what makes me want to see my MGN claim through to the end, so people can really understand what happened”.
He accused “those in power” of turning a blind eye to allow the alleged illegal action continue unabated and said the situation was “appalling”.
“The fact they’re all ganging up to protect each other, like they first did after Leveson, is the most disturbing part of it all, especially as they’re the mothership of online trolling,” the duke said.
Andrew Green KC, for MGN, asked Harry if he meant “blood on their hands” in relation to a specific article, and further asked him what he meant by it. Harry said: “Some of the editors and journalists that are responsible for causing a lot of pain, upset and in some cases, speaking personally, death.” He then said his reference to “blood on their hands” was “more broadly towards the press” in general, adding: “I haven’t named the journalists in that particular paragraph.”
The duke is suing MGN for damages, claiming journalists at the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and Sunday People allegedly used unlawful information gathering methods, and for the use of private investigators for unlawful activities.
He alleges that about 140 articles published between 1996 and 2010 contained information gathered using unlawful methods, and 33 of these have been selected to be considered at the trial.
The Duke also suggested stories about rumours his father was Diana, Princess of Wales’ former lover James Hewitt were aimed at ousting him from the royal family.
In his witness statement, Harry referred to an article in The People from 2002 with the headline “Plot to rob the DNA of Harry” which reported a bid to steal a sample of the duke’s DNA to check his parentage.
MGN is contesting the claims and has either denied or not admitted each of them. The publisher also argues that some of the claimants have brought their legal action too late.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said that comments made by Harry were part of a “live legal case” and he would not be commenting.
An MGN spokesperson said: “Where historical wrongdoing has taken place, we have made admissions, take full responsibility and apologise unreservedly, but we will vigorously defend against allegations of wrongdoing where our journalists acted lawfully.
“MGN is now part of a very different company. We are committed to acting with integrity and our objective in this trial is to allow both the business and our journalists to move forward from events that took place many years ago.”
Prince Harry would be welcomed back to the Firm 'without' Meghan Markle
Holly Willoughby 'taking a page out of Meghan Markle's playbook' with Phillip Schofield statement
Inside Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's 'all-American' birthday for Lilibet
