The Divided State of Europe

nivek

nivek

As Above So Below

Prince Harry is ordered by judge to explain himself after being accused of 'deliberately destroying' messages with Spare ghostwriter after launching case against The Sun newspaper​

Prince Harry has been accused of 'deliberately destroying' potential evidence in his case against the publisher of The Sun newspaper - and ordered by a High Court judge to explain himself.

Mr Justice Fancourt said it was 'troubling' that a large number of messages between the Duke and the ghostwriter of his memoir, Spare, had been wiped 'well after' he launched phone hacking claims against the publisher of the red-top tabloid.

He ordered Harry to write a statement to make 'transparently clear' what had happened.

The Duke and 40 others are suing News Group Newspapers (NGN) alleging phone hacking and other illegal activity, with the trial scheduled to start in January 2025.

In a preliminary hearing on Thursday, NGN asked the judge to order Harry's side hand over a trove of documents which might contain evidence relevant to the case.

Among them were messages exchanged between the Duke and JR Moehringer who ghost-wrote Spare, published in January 2023.

The American author later revealed in an interview he and Harry had been 'texting around the clock' and that 'no subject was off the table'.

Mr Justice Fancourt said it was 'inherently likely' that 'matters would have been said' by the pair that could be relevant to the case, which was launched in 2019. But the messages on the Signal messaging app are said to have been deleted.

The judge said: 'I have seen troubling evidence that a large number of potentially relevant documents and confidential messages between the duke and the ghost writer of Spare were destroyed some time between 2021 and 2023, well after this claim was under way. The positon is not transparently clear about what happened, and needs to be made so by way of a witness statement from the claimant himself.'

In dramatic exchanges earlier, NGN's barrister Anthony Hudson KC said: 'It is, I'm afraid, we say, another example of the obfuscation in relation the claimant's case. We say it's shocking and extraordinary that the claimant has deliberately destroyed…'

At this point, Mr Justice Fancourt interjected to say: 'Well we don't know what has happened. It's not at all clear.'

Harry's barrister David Sherborne confirmed the 'entire chat history was wiped' but said: 'This was a highly necessary process, not to hide anything but to delete highly sensitive information about [Harry] and the royal family which, if leaked, would not only compromise his security but also be potentially damaging to the [duke] and his family.'

But he insisted: 'The idea that there is some obstruction or hiding is just a nonsense.'

In his ruling, the judge criticised Harry's lawyers for the 'apparent paucity' of the documents they had so far handed over to the newspaper to help prepare for the trial, in a legal process known as the disclosure stage.

He revealed that earlier this month, it had emerged 'there was another large group of documents' provided by the Royal Household to Harry in 2020, about which Harry's lawyers 'were wholly unaware'.

(More on the link)

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AD1184

AD1184

Celestial
nivek said:

Prince Harry is ordered by judge to explain himself after being accused of 'deliberately destroying' messages with Spare ghostwriter after launching case against The Sun newspaper​

Prince Harry has been accused of 'deliberately destroying' potential evidence in his case against the publisher of The Sun newspaper - and ordered by a High Court judge to explain himself.

Mr Justice Fancourt said it was 'troubling' that a large number of messages between the Duke and the ghostwriter of his memoir, Spare, had been wiped 'well after' he launched phone hacking claims against the publisher of the red-top tabloid.

He ordered Harry to write a statement to make 'transparently clear' what had happened.

The Duke and 40 others are suing News Group Newspapers (NGN) alleging phone hacking and other illegal activity, with the trial scheduled to start in January 2025.

In a preliminary hearing on Thursday, NGN asked the judge to order Harry's side hand over a trove of documents which might contain evidence relevant to the case.

Among them were messages exchanged between the Duke and JR Moehringer who ghost-wrote Spare, published in January 2023.

The American author later revealed in an interview he and Harry had been 'texting around the clock' and that 'no subject was off the table'.

Mr Justice Fancourt said it was 'inherently likely' that 'matters would have been said' by the pair that could be relevant to the case, which was launched in 2019. But the messages on the Signal messaging app are said to have been deleted.

The judge said: 'I have seen troubling evidence that a large number of potentially relevant documents and confidential messages between the duke and the ghost writer of Spare were destroyed some time between 2021 and 2023, well after this claim was under way. The positon is not transparently clear about what happened, and needs to be made so by way of a witness statement from the claimant himself.'

In dramatic exchanges earlier, NGN's barrister Anthony Hudson KC said: 'It is, I'm afraid, we say, another example of the obfuscation in relation the claimant's case. We say it's shocking and extraordinary that the claimant has deliberately destroyed…'

At this point, Mr Justice Fancourt interjected to say: 'Well we don't know what has happened. It's not at all clear.'

Harry's barrister David Sherborne confirmed the 'entire chat history was wiped' but said: 'This was a highly necessary process, not to hide anything but to delete highly sensitive information about [Harry] and the royal family which, if leaked, would not only compromise his security but also be potentially damaging to the [duke] and his family.'

But he insisted: 'The idea that there is some obstruction or hiding is just a nonsense.'

In his ruling, the judge criticised Harry's lawyers for the 'apparent paucity' of the documents they had so far handed over to the newspaper to help prepare for the trial, in a legal process known as the disclosure stage.

He revealed that earlier this month, it had emerged 'there was another large group of documents' provided by the Royal Household to Harry in 2020, about which Harry's lawyers 'were wholly unaware'.
Click to expand...
Why is the 2020s Signal chat history relevant to this trial, about events alleged to have occurred between the 1990s and 2000s?
 
nivek

nivek

As Above So Below

Backlash grows after Prince Harry wins award set up to honour war hero​

The mother of a US war hero killed in Afghanistan has criticised the decision to give Prince Harry an award honouring her dead son.

Harry will receive the memorial award set up in the name of Pat Tillman – an American football star who gave up a £3million contract to enlist in the US Army after 9/11 – in Hollywood next month.

But the soldier’s mother Mary said she was not consulted, adding: ‘I am shocked as to why they would select such a controversial and divisive individual to receive the award.

‘There are recipients that are far more fitting. There are individuals working in the veteran community that are doing tremendous things to assist veterans.

‘These individuals do not have the money, resources, connections or privilege that Prince Harry has. I feel that those types of individuals should be recognised.’

The ESPY Awards (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly) is run by the sports TV network ESPN and the Pat Tillman Award has previously been given to unsung heroes.

Last year it went to members of the Buffalo Bills American football team training staff who revived a dying player on the field.

ESPN said Harry was being honoured for his ‘tireless work in making a positive impact for the veteran community through the power of sport’ with his Invictus Games.

But the decision to honour him has led to a backlash. A petition yesterday demanded ESPN to think again, claiming Harry had been ‘involved in controversies that call into question his suitability to receive an honour of this magnitude’.

It says: ‘Awarding this honour to someone who does not reflect the award’s intent diminishes its value and disrespects Tillman’s memory.’

Pat Tillman was hailed in the US after giving up his lucrative career with the Arizona Cardinals to enlist as an Army Ranger.

He served in Iraq and then Afghanistan, where he was killed by friendly fire in 2004. He was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart for bravery.

One signatory of the petition, Tania Smith, said ‘Pat Tillman embodied service and sacrifice, doing his patriotic duty’ but ‘Harry represents none of these qualities’.

(More on the link)

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nivek

nivek

As Above So Below
AD1184 said:
Why is the 2020s Signal chat history relevant to this trial, about events alleged to have occurred between the 1990s and 2000s?
Click to expand...
From what I've gathered, seems there are or were some 'revelations' or 'admissions' said in those chats that could have relevance to the case...

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nivek

nivek

As Above So Below






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