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THE CASE WILL FOCUS ON THE ACTIONS OF MIRROR GROUP JOURNALISTS INCLUDING THE ITV PRESENTER PIERS MORGAN
HEWITT IS USING THE SAME BARRISTER AS PRINCE HARRY
HEWITT’S CLAIM GOES BACK FURTHER THAN ANY PREVIOUS CLAIM
Major James Hewitt is suing the Mirror Group Newspapers for phone hacking, Byline Investigates can reveal.
His claim will focus on the actions of former Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan, who is now a hugely popular presenter on ITV’s Good Morning Britain.
Major Hewitt was targeted by the tabloid press in the 1990s and 2000s because of his relationship with Princess Diana.
His claim follows that of Prince Harry, who is also suing MGN – a story broken by Byline Investigates 10 days ago.
Byline Investigates also revealed that Prince Harry’s legal team is expected to cite that his mother was hacked and blagged by unlawful private investigators.
Mr Hewitt, who served in the Gulf War in 1990 as a tank commander, has appointed David Sherborne to represent him. His legal case is unusual in that it alleges that unlawful information gathering began earlier than previously suspected, going back to 1995 – the year when Mr Morgan was appointed editor of the Daily Mirror.
Most hacking cases that have passed through the High Court have not gone back further than 2000, though a few have alleged that private investigators were illegally tasked in 1997.
A legal source told Byline Investigates: “The Mirror orchestrated a lengthy campaign against Mr Hewitt. Piers Morgan was the editor when these stories were published.
“In his book, The Insider, Mr Morgan wrote that he was aware of journalists having access to Mr Hewitt’s bank records in August 2000. How did that happen? Because Mr Hewitt did not allow Mr Morgan or any journalist access to his bank account.
“In The Insider, Mr Morgan writes that he went to a police station to be interviewed about the theft of Mr Hewitt’s private correspondence. He was accompanied by MGN’s top company solicitor Martin Cruddace.”
The legal source added: “The new court case will ask questions about Mr Hewitt’s bank records and Mr Morgan’s visit to the police station.”
Piers Morgan denied that he was involved in phone hacking at the Leveson Inquiry. But, since then, his former company has admitted liability, apologised and paid out £80 million in compensation and costs.
Mr Hewitt’s claim was filed at the High Court at the end of September.
Byline Investigates is Byline Media’s Investigations Unit