A private investigator at the centre of Prince Harry’s legal action against the publisher of the Daily Mail has told the High Court that his earlier witness statement was a forgery. Gavin Burrows, linked to allegations of unlawful information gathering by Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), now says the signature on the 2021 document is not his and denies ever carrying out illegal activity on behalf of the publisher.
Burrows had originally claimed in a 2021 statement that he and his team hacked voicemails, tapped landlines and bugged cars for the Mail on Sunday. He retracted that statement in 2023, and in a fresh 30-page witness statement dated 25 September 2025, released by the court on Tuesday, he reiterated his denial. He said the earlier statement appeared to have been prepared by others and that its contents were substantially untrue.
Burrows stated he was on heavy painkillers after a serious assault and drinking heavily when a former journalist, Graham Johnson, approached him for help researching phone-hacking claims. He was told the claims against newspapers were a ‘perfect scam’ and a ‘gravy train’ because publishers preferred to settle out of court. Burrows insists he never worked for ANL, apart from one legitimate job concerning Sir Richard Branson.
Five of the seven claimants, including Elton John and Doreen Lawrence, launched their case based on evidence allegedly obtained by Burrows. During a pre-trial hearing, Antony White KC, for ANL, sought permission to cross-examine Burrows, while David Sherborne, for the claimants, applied to treat his evidence as hearsay. Mr Justice Nicklin gave Sherborne seven days to decide whether to apply for a witness summons, warning that if Burrows gave inconsistent evidence, he could be deemed a hostile witness.
A further pre-trial hearing is expected before the end of the year. ANL denies all allegations of unlawful activity and is defending the action.
