Ex-Mirror Group CEO says she wasn’t conscious of cellphone hacking as she apologises on behalf of firm

The former chief government of the writer of the Daily Mirror has stated she was unaware of the phone-hacking carried out by reporters she employed, as she gave proof in a lawsuit introduced by Prince Harry towards the newspaper group.

Sly Bailey – chief government between 2003 and 2012 of Trinity Mirror, writer of the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and Sunday People – informed the High Court that allegations of illegal information-gathering have been “a matter of great regret”.

“It is pretty devastating as a chief executive, actually, to be sitting here and listening to this, and I am deeply regretful and I do apologise on behalf of the company,” she stated.

“I hope that people will understand that I had no knowledge of these activities.”

Follow up to the minute coverage of the trial on the Sky News Live Blog

The Duke of Sussex and greater than 100 others are suing Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), accusing its titles of phone-hacking and different illegal behaviour between 1991 and 2011, with the approval of senior executives.

MGN, which is owned by Reach and was referred to as Trinity Mirror till 2018, strongly denies the allegations.

Ms Bailey stated in her witness assertion that “despite our robust governance systems, a number of people on the editorial side of the national titles concealed their unlawful activities from me and from other colleagues”.

Pressed repeatedly by David Sherborne, a barrister representing the claimants, about what she knew of illegal exercise at her papers and what motion she had taken to handle it, she stated she was not particularly conscious of allegations whereas she was chief government.

Mr Sherborne referred to a 2006 article by which a former MGN reporter was quoted as saying that “many of the Daily Mirror’s stories would come from hacking into a celebrity’s voicemail”.

The barrister stated to Ms Bailey that the allegations should have been mentioned by Trinity Mirror’s board.

Ms Bailey stated that she couldn’t keep in mind that they have been, and in response to questions on why executives had not investigated additional after three reporters have been questioned however not charged, she replied: “I’m not a policeman.”

She and her and former board members had been subjected to “terrible smears”, she added.

Mr Sherborne additionally pushed Ms Bailey on Sunday Mirror articles about footballer Rio Ferdinand that have been obtained via cellphone hacking.

Mr Sherborne stated it could have been “clear from the content of the article that the newspaper had got access to Rio Ferdinand’s phone records”.

MGN beforehand admitted three articles in regards to the ex-England defender and his relationship with flight attendant Lauren Alcorn have been the product of cellphone hacking.

The article “Rio playing away”, revealed in January 2003, had revealed their relationship.

Ms Bailey had stated in her Leveson Inquiry proof that by way of particular content material or exclusives, she would “rarely know of this pre-publication” as this was a matter for the editor.

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However, she stated the exception was the Sunday Mirror and the Sunday People as she would talk about the main unique every week with every editor.

Mr Sherborne stated the Ferdinand tales would have been lead exclusives, and requested whether or not she would have mentioned this with then Sunday Mirror editor Tina Weaver.

Ms Bailey stated she would solely talk about the tales to make sure the newspapers – which have been competing towards one another – wouldn’t run with the identical front-page story.

It was necessary to distinguish to “maximise sales”, she stated, so the editors would “probably text me to tell me what the essence of the story was in summary terms”.

The trial, as a consequence of final round seven weeks, is initially specializing in generic allegations towards MGN earlier than turning to the precise claims of Prince Harry and three different check instances.

The duke is because of give proof himself in particular person in early June, the primary British royal to take action for the reason that nineteenth century.