Paul Dacre, the long-serving former editor of the Daily Mail and one of the most influential figures in British journalism, told the High Court in London that he felt
angry and deeply upset by allegations that the newspaper engaged in unlawful practices.
Dacre was giving evidence on Tuesday in a high-profile privacy lawsuit brought by Prince Harry and six other prominent figures against Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday. The claimants accuse the publisher of illegally obtaining private information over a period stretching from the early 1990s to 2011.
The group alleges that journalists and private investigators working for the papers engaged in phone hacking, deception to access confidential records — including medical information — and the bugging of landlines. Associated Newspapers has strongly denied the claims, insisting that no unlawfully obtained information was used in the articles at the centre of the case.
Speaking to the court, Dacre said the accusations had left him “very angry and upset,” adding that his chief concern was not his own reputation but the damage he believes the case could inflict on the Daily Mail and its staff.
“I’m very angry and upset on behalf of my staff,” he said, telling the court he was troubled by suggestions that journalists at the paper had acted dishonestly.
Emotional testimony from claimants
The trial, which began last month, has already heard evidence from all seven claimants: Prince Harry; singer Elton John and his husband David Furnish; actors Elizabeth Hurley and Sadie Frost; anti-racism campaigner Doreen Lawrence; and former Liberal Democrat MP Simon Hughes.
Several of the claimants became emotional while giving evidence, with some appearing in tears as they described the alleged impact of press intrusion on their lives.
Associated Newspapers’ lawyers have repeatedly challenged their accounts, suggesting that much of the information complained about had already appeared in other media, had been provided by the claimants’ own representatives, or had come from people within what they described as “leaky” social circles.
Allegations of a wider conspiracy rejected
The publisher has also argued that the case was orchestrated and financially supported by critics of the press, including actor Hugh Grant and the late former Formula One chief Max Mosley. Associated has claimed that a research team assisting the claimants’ lawyers — as well as some lawyers themselves — were part of a coordinated campaign against the media. Those accusations have been firmly rejected by the claimants and their legal teams.
Dacre, who edited the Daily Mail for more than 25 years and now serves as editor-in-chief of Associated’s parent company, dmg media, was the first witness called by the defence. His appearance followed the publisher’s announcement that it would put senior executives “over the top” early in its case.
A powerful figure in British Media
During Dacre’s tenure, the Daily Mail became one of the most powerful voices in British public life, with senior politicians — including multiple prime ministers — openly acknowledging its influence on national debate.
The trial continues as the court weighs sharply conflicting accounts of how personal information was obtained and whether the practices alleged by the claimants ever took place. Photo by Alex.muller, Wikimedia commons.