Elizabeth Hurley arrived at the High Court in London accompanied by her son, Damian, to deliver a deeply emotional testimony against the publisher of the Daily Mail. The actor, visibly distressed, had to pause multiple times during her appearance to compose herself, particularly when discussing her desire to protect her son from the fallout of the alleged unlawful activities.
Allegations of Intrusive Surveillance
In a powerful witness statement submitted to the court, Hurley accused Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL), which publishes both the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday, of engaging in a series of "monstrous, staggering" acts. These allegations centre on 15 articles published about her between 2002 and 2011. She claims the publisher used unlawful information-gathering methods, including tapping her landline phones and recording her live conversations.
"Above all, it was the discovery that the Mail had tapped the landlines of my home phones and tape-recorded my live telephone conversations that devastated me," Hurley stated. "I felt crushed." She further alleged that surreptitious microphones were placed on the windowsill of her dining room, and that her private medical information was stolen during her pregnancy.
Defence Claims and Courtroom Exchanges
Associated Newspapers has vehemently denied all allegations of wrongdoing. In written submissions, the company's legal team described the claims as "lurid", "preposterous", and "baseless". They argued that the case is built on "spurious and, or, discredited information" from a now "disavowed" witness statement by private investigator Gavin Burrows.
During cross-examination, Antony White, the lead barrister for ANL, suggested that the information in the contested articles was obtained through entirely lawful means. He presented a series of articles where Hurley's friends were quoted by name, and others where information was attributed to individuals within her social circle. White posited that people close to Hurley, including the late Steve Bing—father of her son Damian—may have willingly provided information to journalists.
Hurley countered these assertions, maintaining that sanctioned quotes from named friends were "benign" and did not reveal private information. She expressed being "incensed" by the defence's suggestions, stating the details were "very painful to read".
Broader Legal Context and Co-Claimants
Elizabeth Hurley is one of seven high-profile individuals bringing claims against Associated Newspapers in this landmark case. The group includes Prince Harry, who has already given evidence alleging phone hacking and information blagging by the publisher. Other claimants are Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish, campaigner Doreen Lawrence, former Liberal Democrat MP Simon Hughes, and actor Sadie Frost.
Prince Harry has attended all four days of the trial so far, with a spokesperson stating his presence is to "support, and show solidarity with, the other claimants". In its defence, ANL maintains that all stories were obtained "entirely legitimately" from contacts, press officers, publicists, and prior reports.
Timing of the Legal Action
A central pillar of ANL's defence is the argument that the claimants have waited too long to bring their case. The publisher contends they became aware of having a serious claim only after the October 2016 cut-off date for legal action. During proceedings, White repeatedly questioned Hurley on why she had not made inquiries earlier if she was genuinely concerned about ANL's activities.
Hurley responded that she did not keep abreast of campaigns like Hacked Off and only learned about the serious allegations against ANL at a later date. The emotional toll of the case was evident throughout her testimony, as she spoke of the profound impact the articles had on her life and her fierce determination to shield her son from the controversy.
The trial continues at the Royal Courts of Justice, with further evidence expected from the remaining claimants.
