Tech News Summary:
- A London court has allowed actor Hugh Grant’s lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers, alleging illegal spying on him, to proceed to trial. Grant claims that the Sun tabloid journalists and investigators illegally spied on him, tapping his home phone, bugging his car, and breaking into his home. The Sun tabloid editor had tried to have the case thrown out.
- Prince Harry’s case against News Group was not addressed in the ruling, as the judge wants to hear more at a hearing in July regarding Harry’s allegations of being prevented from making his phone hacking claims earlier due to an alleged “secret agreement” between Buckingham Palace and News Group executives.
- News Group has denied any illegal information gathering at The Sun, but Grant’s other allegations can continue as he claimed he only found out about them in 2021 after private investigator Gavin Burrows began revealing alleged acts of wiretapping and theft on behalf of the newspaper. Prince Harry also alleged that the royal family had agreed to settle their cases with News Group out of court after the phone hacking litigation against News of the World ended.
Actor Hugh Grant has filed a lawsuit against the UK newspaper, The Sun, for alleged phone hacking.
The Hollywood star claims that The Sun illegally obtained private information about him by hacking into his voicemail messages.
Grant’s lawyers have called the alleged hacking a “gross breach of privacy” and are seeking damages from the newspaper.
The lawsuit is part of a wider investigation into illegal phone hacking by UK newspapers, a scandal that has rocked the media industry in recent years.
Grant, who rose to fame in the 1990s with hit movies such as Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill, has long been a vocal critic of tabloid journalism and the invasion of privacy that it can entail.
The actor has previously spoken out about being followed by paparazzi and having his phone hacked by journalists.
In a statement announcing the lawsuit, Grant said: “I am taking this action because I believe that my privacy was violated and my rights were breached. I hope that this case will help to bring an end to the illegal and unethical practices of some newspapers.”
The Sun has not yet responded to the lawsuit, but the case is expected to be closely watched by media experts and privacy campaigners.
It remains to be seen whether the case will result in a payout for Grant, but the actor’s decision to take legal action signifies a determination to fight for his rights in the face of media intrusion. The battle for justice begins.