Phone hacking trial hears biography author deny having ‘vested interest’

The author of a biography on the Duke of Sussex has denied having a “vested interest” in helping Harry, the High Court has heard.

Omid Scobie, co-author of Finding Freedom about Harry and the Duchess of Sussex, entered the witness box yesterday as part of a trial in claims brought by several highprofile individuals, including Harry, against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN).

MGN – publisher of The Mirror, Sunday Mirror and Sunday People – is accused of unlawful information-gathering including voicemail interception, securing information through deception and hiring private investigators for unlawful activities.

The publisher is contesting the cases and has also said there is “no evidence, or no sufficient evidence, of voicemail interception” in any of the four claims chosen as “representative” cases.

The court heard that as a journalism student, Mr Scobie spent a week at the Sunday People where he claims he was given “a list of mobile numbers followed by a detailed verbal description of how to listen to voicemails, as if it were a routine newsgathering technique”.

In his witness statement, Mr Scobie said: “I was taken aback by what seemed completely immoral and I never carried out the task.”

Mr Justice Fancourt was told that in spring 2002, Mr Scobie did work experience at the Daily

Mirror and allegedly overheard then-editor Piers Morgan being told that information relating to Kylie Minogue and her boyfriend had come from voicemails.

Mr Morgan has previously denied involvement in phone hacking.

At the start of his crossexamination, Andrew Green KC, for MGN, described Finding Freedom – Mr Scobie’s book written with fellow journalist Carolyn Durand – as “favourable to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex”.

“It was fair,” Mr Scobie replied.

Mr Green said: “Do you have a vested interest in helping the Duke of Sussex if the opportunity arises?”

“No. What I am doing right now is giving ammunition to the tabloids to continue calling me his friend,” Mr Scobie replied.

The case continues.

Prince Harry.