The sister of a 15-year-old boy who was killed when his electric bike crashed into a parked ambulance after being followed by police has led the tributes to him. The teenager has been named locally as Saul Cookson.
He was rushed to hospital following the incident on Langworthy Road in Salford on Thursday afternoon and died a short time later. Traffic cops had followed the teen along Fitzwarren Street and Lower Seedley Road at around 2pm, until bollards prevented the chase from proceeding further.
But tragedy struck when Saul ran into the ambulance on nearby Langworthy Road. Greater Manchester Police has now referred the incident to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which is leading an investigation into the crash.
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The boy has not been officially identified by GMP as of yet. But Saul's sister Taylor-Jade led the tributes on Instagram, The Mirror reports.
She wrote: "Seriously can’t believe I'm typing this right now. I'm lost for words and don't know what to say.
"Just so crazy how it happened. In one blink he was gone. He was way too young and shouldn't have gone at 15. He was seriously my best friend and brother in one. Even though he did annoy me we had the best memories and will never be forgotten.
The teen has been named as Saul Cookson
"I'm so proud to call you MY brother and you will always be in my mind and by my side. Such a cruel world and how fast it happened I was literally just talking to my mum and it just happened in one blink after all the good memories and I wish we could've made more but all of them are still in my heart. Rest easy Saul."
Devastated cousin Jack Pennington penned his own eulogy on the social media platform, writing: "Everyone who knew Saul knew he was the nicest lad about, had a good heart, polite and have u like no tomorrow.
"Can’t believe I’m writing this, no other word describes it other than shock. Don’t feel real in the slightest one of the best lads you could meet and I feel lucky to have called u my cousin.
"Had some good times growing up ... can’t believe that’s just it. Shows wat a cruel world we’re living in. Miss u forever my brother. Can’t say goodbye just see you later my mate love you RIP Saul my brother."
Emergency services at the scene (Image: Sean Hansford / Manchester Evening News)
Meanwhile numerous pals have laid floral tributes at the scene. One read: "Saul, gone but never forgotten. RIP. I love you always keep smiling your cheeky smile."
Another said: "Saul. You will always have a special place in my heart. I love you loads my dude." And a message on a cardboard sign tied to a nearby fence declared: "Kids on bikes don’t kill."
A GoFundMe page has also been set up to help the family with funeral costs. The page's creator Kelly Mcelroy wrote: "As I'm sure the news has now filtered down please guys let's help [Saul's parents] as much as we can towards the costs for Saul's funeral.
"No parents should bury their child especially in these circumstances, this family is one of our own so lets dig deep and help as much as we can. Any contribution will help. The last thing this family need is to worry about this. Thank you in advance."
Tributes were lead by Saul's sister, Taylor-Jade
A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police spokesman said on Thursday evening: "At around 2pm on Thursday, GMP traffic officers began following a boy riding an e-bike along Fitzwarren Street in Salford, onto Lower Seedley Road. Bollards prevented the police vehicle from continuing to follow the e-bike.
"A short time later a road traffic collision occurred between the e-bike and an ambulance on Langworthy Road. The 15-year-old boy riding the e-bike sadly died.
"In line with normal proceedings, the incident has been referred to IOPC who are now leading the investigation. A cordon remains in place on Langworthy Road. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the boy who tragically died."
An investigation has been launched
An IOPC spokesperson added: "We are independently investigating the circumstances of a serious collision involving an e-bike and an ambulance in Salford on Thursday.
"The rider of the bike, a 15-year-old boy, was taken to hospital where he sadly died. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones, as well as all those affected by this tragedy.
"We were notified by Greater Manchester Police due to the fact a police vehicle had been following the e-bike shortly before the collision. We have sent investigators to the scene of the collision, at the junction of Langworthy Road and Lower Seedley Road, as well as to the police post-incident procedures, to begin gathering evidence.
"Our investigation is at a very early stage and we will provide further details once we are in a position to do so."
A weekend heat-health alert has been raised from yellow to a more severe amber warning in eastern and southern England, and the Midlands.
The amber alert - in place from 09:00 BST on Friday - indicates high temperatures could affect all ages and impact the health service.
The alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), continues until 09:00 BST on Monday.
Temperatures are forecast to hit 30C and some thunderstorms are expected.
Parts of the country are predicted to be hotter than Marbella, Ibiza and Tenerife in the coming days as a plume of warm air moves in from the south, the Met office says.
A less severe yellow alert, which advises people to check on vulnerable family and friends, is in place for the north of England and London.
The UKHSA first issued a heat alert on Wednesday, but raised it saying the temperatures would rise rapidly in affected areas with temperatures high overnight.
A Met Office yellow warning for thunder is also in place for all of Wales and large parts of southern England from 14:00 BST until 21:00 on Saturday.
This means there is a chance of disruption to travel, power cuts and some localised flooding from the heaviest showers.
During the period of hot weather, the UKHSA advises people to:
Check on family, friends and neighbours
Know the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke
Stay out of the sun between 11:00 and 15:00
Exercise or walk your dog at cooler times of the day, such as in the morning or evening
Close windows and curtains in rooms which face the sun
Wear suitable clothing if going outside, including a hat and sunglasses, and apply sunscreen
Drink plenty of fluids and limit alcohol intake
A spokesman for the UKHSA said it was difficult to predict the exact impact of higher temperatures on the health service but additional pressure would come from vulnerable groups suffering in the heat.
That includes people over 65, those with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions and children.
Ahead of the hot weather, the UKHSA has been in touch with groups which work with older people, such as care homes, to offer guidance.
Andy Cole, the assistant chief fire officer from Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service, urged people to be "vigilant" this weekend and avoid using disposable barbecues or starting campfires.
There was a "record number" of wildfires last year, he said, adding that Dorset and Wiltshire saw a "roughly 400% increase" compared to the year before, with 911 recorded.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Cole said wildfires were "extremely dangerous" and can take a lot of resources from the fire service.
Climate change is making heatwaves in the UK more likely and more extreme.
Last year was the UK's warmest ever - Coningsby, in Lincolnshire, reached a record 40.3C on 19 July.
The UKHSA expects heatwaves are "likely to occur more often, be more intense and last longer in the years and decades ahead".
The new colour-coded alert system, launched last week, is run by the UKHSA and the Met Office and is aimed at reducing illness and deaths among the most vulnerable.
There is one further alert, not yet issued, representing the most serious risk. The red alert means there is a significant risk to life even for healthy people and a severe impact likely across all sectors.
Individuals can sign up to receive alerts directly here, and people can specify which region they would like to receive alerts for.
Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Dan Harris said: “Temperatures will rise later this week and into the weekend, with a plume of warm air being drawn in from the south.
“Temperatures over the weekend could peak around 30°C in some parts of England and remain well above average during night-times.”
A yellow alert means hot weather may lead to an increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable populations and an increase in risk to health for those over 65 years of age along with those who have pre-existing conditions, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, the UKHSA said.
The alert is currently in place from 9am on Friday 9 June to 9am on Monday 12 June.
High pollen count means hay fever will continue for weeks, Met Office says
Hay fever sufferers could be facing weeks of itchy eyes and sneezing, the Met office has warned.
High levels of pollen are expected across the Midlands and south of England, as well as in all of Wales and Northern Ireland until Friday, the weather service said.
The forecaster said the north east of England and Scotland will see low levels of pollen.
More people will begin to suffer from hay fever as the tree pollen season ends and transitions into the grass pollen season, the Met Office said.
Last year, British records were broken in late July, when the mercury reached highs of 40.3C in some parts of the country.
Dr Mark McCarthy, the head of the Met Office’s National Climate Information Centre, said of those events: “We have seen temperature records tumbling. A new UK national climate temperature record should be a rare occurrence, and we would normally expect a new record to only exceed the previous one by a fraction of a degree.”
Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at the UK Health Security Agency, said: “In the coming days we are likely to experience our first sustained period of hot weather of the year so far, so it’s important that everyone ensures they keep hydrated and cool while enjoying the sun.
“Forecasted temperatures this week will primarily impact those over the age of 65 or those with pre-existing health conditions such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
“If you have friends, family or neighbours who you know are more vulnerable to the effects of hot weather, it is important you check in on them and ensure they are aware of the forecasts and are following the necessary advice.”
How to keep your pet cool and healthy during a heatwave
Learning how to cope in the heat can be a struggle, with the beaming rays of the sun, the inescapable humidity and the ever-rising temperatures tough to handle for many.
With the Met Office forecasting a shift in weather patterns in the UK and a “warm plume” of air with highs of 30C heading our way, just imagine how your pet may be feeling.
Domestic animals don’t have the luxury of being able to say when they’re feeling overheated or dehydrated, which is why you need to learn how to keep your pet as safe and healthy as possible during these extreme weather conditions.
Whether you’re a dog person or own a reptile, this is how to look after your pet properly as the heatwave runs its course.
Temperatures to peak at 30C this weekend, Met Office says
Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Dan Harris said: “Temperatures will rise later this week and into the weekend, with a plume of warm air being drawn in from the south.
“Temperatures over the weekend could peak around 30°C in some parts of England and remain well above average during night-times.”
“Coupled with the rise in temperatures is an increase in the likelihood of some potentially heavy and thundery showers, which could bring some localised disruption in the far southwest from as early as late Friday, but more likely more widely into the weekend, though it is not possible to be definitive about exact details this far from the potential event.”
Met Office reveals when ‘warm plume’ will bring 30C heatwave
The latest weather prediction for the UK comes after reports of the arrival of an “Iberian Plume” from the Iberian Peninsula that cuts across Spain and Portugal.
The current high-pressure system that has been responsible for the recent calm weather is now moving towards Scandinavia, making way for hotter air to move, raising temperatures and introducing some thundery showers later this week and into the weekend.
Cancer patients face worsening NHS delays and compromised care due to a lack of staff, radiology leaders have warned.
A poll of all 60 directors of the UK's cancer centres by the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) found 95% felt staff shortages were leading to longer waiting times for appointments and delays in cancer treatment.
In 97% of centres, patient treatment had been delayed because of staff shortages over the past year, while in around half shortages were causing delays almost every month.
Some 88% of cancer specialists were concerned shortages are compromising patient care.
The RCR said the situation was a "ticking time bomb" as delays can be potentially harmful for patients, with every month of delay increasing the risk of death by 10%.
Doctors are making difficult decisions about how to prioritise patients.
This "serious situation" has resulted in some hospitals considering limiting access to new chemotherapy treatments, and moving patients around hospitals.
Dr Tom Roques, vice chair of clinical oncology at the RCR, said recruitment and retention are key to solving the crisis.
"Our major concern at the moment is that patients are not being diagnosed with cancer and other serious conditions quickly enough and they're not getting their treatment quickly enough," he told Sky News.
"This is a problem of years of underfunding of the cancer workforce.
"So, because we've not been increasing medical school places and training places quickly enough, we've ended up with this problem of not enough doctors."
Dr Roques added: "We know that too many young doctors are leaving the UK to work overseas.
"We know too many experienced doctors are retiring early, and we've got to think of ways of changing that, and that's really about conditions of work as well as pay."
Early diagnosis can be a game-changer
For Bryony - an earlier diagnosis could have been a game-changer.
She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2019 and had symptoms "so gradual" they began to "feel normal".
However, Bryony said catching the cancer quicker may have prevented it from spreading to her lymph nodes.
"I think I saw eight different GPS. I didn't see one person consistently," she told Sky News.
"I was tested for celiac, anaemia, thyroid, I do wonder whether if I had seen one doctor consistently over those five years, maybe the dots would have been joined."
Bryony's journey to remission has been tough. It has meant nine months of back-to-back treatment - both physically and mentally gruelling.
She said: "7% make it to five years. I had a 1% chance of seeing my daughter reach her 18th birthday. And I was very likely to die within 12 weeks."
Bryony said, given the circumstances, she was "grateful" to be alive.
Tens of thousands of patients will receive faster treatment, NHS says
A government spokesperson said: "There are more doctors, nurses and staff working in the NHS than ever before.
"The NHS is also seeing, treating and saving record numbers of people with cancer but we know there is more to do."
The NHS said from July onwards, tens of thousands of patients will receive a diagnosis and treatment for skin cancer faster, through a new process which involves taking high-spec images of spots, moles or lesions on people's skin.
The hope is this "simple" technology will give specialist dermatologists the opportunity to double the number of patients they can meet in a day.
Labour is due to lay out its plans to block all new domestic oil and gas developments and invest in renewables instead during a visit to Scotland this month.
Asked whether the party needed to "come clean" about how its policies were being shaped, Mr Sunak told reporters: "It does appear that these kind of ecozealots at Just Stop Oil are writing Keir Starmer's energy policy and, not content with disrupting our summer and cherished sporting events, they are essentially leading us into an energy surrender.
"My view is we should focus on energy security, not weakness and dependency which seems to be the Labour Party's policy.
"They are putting ideology ahead of jobs, ahead of investment, and ahead of our energy security - I think that is wrong and it's not the right policy for the UK."
He added: "It's a completely bizarre policy which says 'we won't ban oil and gas, we'll just ban British oil and gas'.
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6:04
Dale Vince defends donations
But Sir Keir's proposal has faced criticism from the party's trade union backers, who are fearful of the impact the transition to green energy could have on jobs.
The Labour leader pledged to work with unions to "seize the opportunities" of green energy to prevent mass job losses.
During a Q&A at the GMB congress, it was put to him that his plan to end new oil and gas extraction "is a threat to Scottish jobs and UK energy security".
The Labour leader responded: "I want to be absolutely clear: oil and gas are going to be part of the mix for decades to come, into the 2050s.
"What I will never let happen is a repeat of what happened in coal mining, where an industry came to an end and nobody had planned for the future".
He was joined in his criticism by Unite general secretary Sharon Graham, who said Labour must be "very clear that they will not let workers pay the price" for the transition to renewable energy.
The Labour Party has repeatedly defended the donations Mr Vince, whom it has described as a "perfectly legitimate person" to take money from.
Shadow international trade secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said his party had been "extremely clear on our views on Just Stop Oil".
"Indeed, Keir Starmer has said of them 'just go home' because they are not actually promoting the cause of tackling climate change," he said.
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9:19
Labour 'naïve' on oil and gas
"What they are doing is entirely counterproductive and the only debate it's provoking is about our public order laws."
But he said Mr Vince - who is the chairman of League Two football team Forest Green Rovers - is a "successful businessman" based in the UK.
"He's a perfectly legitimate person to take money from.
"If he wishes to give money to other causes that's up to him, but it can hardly be said that this affects our views as a Labour Party on Just Stop Oil."
rince Harry hit out at “hurtful” and “disturbing” news reports about the break-up of his relationship with Chelsy Davy, telling the High Court he believes journalists were celebrating the split.
A Sunday Mirror report from 2007 under the headline ‘Hooray Harry’s Dumped’ covered the news that the Duke had visited a nightclub to “drown his sorrows” over the break-up.
Harry said he later discovered the story had been pursued with the codename “Project Harry”, an “incredibly disturbing” payment had been made for information, and he believed his distress had been used for entertainment.
As he finished his evidence on Wednesday he was choked-up and paused, saying the trial so far been “a lot.”
“Such a private moment was turned into a bit of a laugh”, he said, speaking of the split.
“The headline does seem to suggest people celebrating that I had broken up with my girlfriend which seems a little bit mean.”
Harry, who is suing the Mirror Group Newspaper over alleged phone hacking and unlawful newsgathering, has put forward this Sunday Mirror story as one of 33 examples of alleged wrongdoing.
“I’m not sure how anyone would know we had broken up because we weren’t talking about that”, he said, suggesting his phone and that of Ms Davy had been targeted.
When challenged by MGN barrister Andrew Green KC that ‘Hooray Harry’ was a nickname he had attracted, the Prince insisted the headline was “celebrating (him) being dumped”.
“If it had been used before or not, for me as the subject or victim of this, to see that word used in this term is hurtful”, he said.
A second day of bombshell evidence at the High Court has seen Harry:
- Deny claims of ‘cavorting’ at Twickenham with a female friend
- Confirm reports he got a lapdance, but deny it was from a Chelsy Davy lookalike
- Accuse photographers of wrecking his relationship with Caroline Flack
The court has heard evidence of Harry’s 2006 trip to the Spearmint Rhino club in central London, where he reportedly received a lap dance.
Harry appeared to accept a Lithuanian dancer had sat on his lap, but disputed The People’s claim that a “statuesque blonde” resembling Ms Davy had been paid for a nude dance.
“That’s factually incorrect”, he said.
The Prince accepts someone from the club appears to have been paid for information by The People, telling the court: “That’s what I would do as a journalist.” But he said he finds other payments “suspicious” and evidence of suspected unlawful newsgathering.
“It’s a classic example of stories originating from a different paper, the Mirror and everyone else being one step behind, and encourage to go and find out more information.
Harry says he believes a detail in the story, that Ms Davy had admonished him for the night out in a 30-minute call, came from journalists “bizarrely” having her phone number and unlawfully accessing call data.
Prince Harry denied “cavorting” with a female friend of Princess Catherine during a rugby match at Twickenham, as claimed in a 2009 news report.
He said he and Astrid Harbord are only friends, telling the court: “Astrid and I were never in a relationship.”
Calling the article “not true”, he added: “It was in public, but I wasn’t cavorting.”
And Harry discussed his relationship with the late TV presenter Caroline Flack, who he dated for a few weeks in 2009.
The Prince said he was “shocked and livid” when a private night with Ms Flack and his friend Marko Dyer became a target of paparazzi photographers.
He accused picture agency IKON pictures of stalking, including an incident when photographers were found hiding under a car, and said the poker night incident led to distrust among friends.
“Only Marko, Caroline and I knew of the plans, there was only a couple of other people invited and I don’t think they knew that Caroline would be joining us”, he said.
“Given the fact only the three of us knew the plan, I was highly suspicious and convinced someone had leaked the information to the press. I was angry. I hadn’t told anybody.
“I obviously doubted Caroline, but I even came to distrust Marko. My brother and I stopped talking to him for a while as we just couldn’t understand how stories about us meeting privately with him ended up in the papers, or how photographers would end up outside his apartment.
“I now believe this information had come from our voicemails – mine, Marko’s or Caroline’s. The impact these kinds of stories had on my relationships cannot be underestimated. Even those I trusted the most, I ended up doubting.”
Starting his second day of evidence, Prince Harry said he lost his trust in staff at Sandhurst military academy after details of his medical treatment ended up in a tabloid newspaper.
The Duke of Sussex’s army training was delayed by a knee injury, with details of the issue ending up in a 2005 article in the People newspaper.
Harry said he had not been “freely discussing” the injury, and he believes the People’s story had been the product of hacking or unlawful newsgathering.
“I was not going around freely discussing any medical issues or injuries that I had. I was almost conditioned to feel guarded at this point in my life, worrying I couldn’t trust anyone for fear that it would end up splashed across the tabloids”, he said.
Harry told the court newspaper coverage led to “distrust I ended up having at Sandhurst with the medical staff”.
The People’s news story also made reference to 15-minute email sessions Harry had at Sandhurst with his then-girlfriend Chelsy Davy, including quote from another unidentified source that Harry “always came back with a smile on my face”.
“I’d only been at Sandhurst a couple of weeks by this point, and while I can’t remember the specifics of how often I was speaking to Chelsy over email at this time, I wasn’t sharing this information with my colleagues - who I’d only just met - least of all because that kind of thing would have made me seem soft, but also because me and Chelsy were so protective of our relationship and wanted people to know as little as possible for fear of ‘leaks’.”
Challenged over the source of the article, Harry insisted he believes phone hacking was involved.
Prince Harry completed his evidence on Wednesday after a second day in the witness stand in his phone hacking trial.
The Duke of Sussex, 38, is in the midst of a legal assault on the tabloid press, accusing newspapers of hounding him throughout his life and breaking the law in pursuit of exclusives.
Harry arrives at court on Wednesday to give evidence for a second day at his phone-hacking trial
/ REUTERS
In the historic first day of evidence in a trial against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), Harry talked of his fears and paranoia when private details of his relationship with Ms Davy hit the headlines.
On a trip to Mozambique, he found reporters already checked in to the same hotel that he was staying it, while he was “disturbed” to learn journalists and photographers had been “hunting” him as he enjoyed a gap year break on the sunshine coast of Noosa in Australia.
Harry said women he dated ended up “not just in a relationship with me but with the entire tabloid press as the third party”, and he detailed a frightening incident at Heathrow Airport where “burly and dodgy looking” paparazzi had discovered he was meeting Ms Davy off a flight.
“I realised that MGN journalists were blagging her flight details so that would know exactly when she was going to arrive”, he said.
“The paparazzi would be so aggressive in their pursuit of her that we would have to enlist the help of the airport police, which obviously detracts from their main task of keeping the airports, and the general public who use them, safe.”
He said he was devastated when his on-off relationship with Ms Davy ultimately ended, as she “made the decision that a royal life was not for her”.
Harry was facing further tough questions on Wednesday from MGN’s barrister, Andrew Green KC, over stories about his military career and the breakdown of his romance with Ms Davy. The publisher argues stories came from other legal sources rather than phone hacking.
The Prince is represented by barrister to the stars David Sherborne, who counts Meghan Markle and Princess Diana as past clients, and recently emerged victorious from the Wagatha Christie High Court battle where he was Coleen Rooney’s lead counsel.
David Sherborne arrives at court on Monday
/ AFP via Getty Images
Harry made a string of bombshell comments during his first day of evidence at the Rolls Building of the High Court, in a case before Mr Justice Fancourt.
Together with two soap stars and a comedian’s ex-wife, the Duke is suing MGN over allegations of phone hacking and unlawful newsgathering spanning nearly two decades.
Harry says he was subjected to intrusion into his private life from the age of 11, he has lost friends due to paranoia and distrust, and has suffered bouts of depression while under the global media spotlight.
In evidence on Tuesday, the Prince suggested tabloid journalists and editors have “blood on their hands” over the relentless pursuit of the rich and famous for news stories.
“Trolls react and mobilise to stories they create”, he said. “People have died as a result, and people will continue to kill themselves by suicide when they can’t see any other way out. How much more blood will stain their typing fingers before someone can put a stop to this madness.”
He took aim at Rishi Sunak’s government, calling it “rock bottom”, and said it is his personal mission to rid journalism of unlawful elements for the good of British society.
“Democracy fails when your press fails to scrutinise and hold the government accountable, and instead choose to get into bed with them so they can ensure the status quo”, he said. ”I feel there’s a responsibility to expose this criminal activity in the name of public interest.”
Harry denied past claims of drug-taking at the Highgrove home of his father, King Charles, and took aim at Royal correspondents for allegedly inventing quotes and sources.
His personal animosity towards Piers Morgan came to the fore over allegations the former Daily Mirror editor knew about phone hacking and illegal targeting of his mother, Princess Diana.
The Duke of Sussex: Prince Harry at High Court hearing for phone hacking claims
In letters written shortly before her death, Diana told TV presenter Michael Barrymore she was “devastated” the Mirror had found out about their private friendship, adding: “Nobody knew about our conversations/phone call.”
Harry told the court: “The thought of Piers Morgan and his band of journalists earwigging into my mother’s private and sensitive messages…and then having given her a “nightmare time” three months prior to her death in Paris, makes me feel physically sick and even more determined to hold those responsible, including Mr Morgan, accountable for their vile and entirely unjustified behaviour.”
The Duke endured tough questioning from Mr Green, who pointed out that a number of stories Harry believes were the result of phone hacking or unlawful newsgathering were follow-ups to exclusives in other newspapers, contained official Palace quotes, and in one instance appeared to emanate from an interview he himself had given.
MGN says there is no direct evidence to support Harry’s allegations, but the Prince countered that phone records have been destroyed amid a “cover-up” of wrongdoing.
He pointed to payments between journalists and private investigators suspected of unlawful activity, saying the stories contained private details which was “deeply suspicious”.
Mr Green also read back to Harry extracts of his own autobiography, Spare, to highlight alleged contradictions with his High Court evidence.
Harry tells the court he would feel “some injustice” if his claim against MGN is unsuccessful.
Green says Harry repeatedly makes reference to call data in his witness statement.
Green says there is not a single item of call data at any time between Harry’s phone and any Mirror Group journalist.
“Do you think the absence of call data suggests you were not hacked by any MGN journalist?” Green asks.
“Absolutely not,” Harry replies.
“If the court finds that you were not hacked by MGN would you be relieved or disappointed?” Green asks.
Harry says phone hacking has been done on an “industrial scale” across at least three of the papers – and says any decision with his claim, he would “feel some injustice if it wasn’t accepted”.
“You want to have been phone hacked?” Green asks.
“Nobody wants to be phone hacked,” Harry replies.
Green has turned to another article that suggests Harry was “celebrating” breaking up with Davy.
“Which seems a bit mean,” Harry says.
Harry tells the court he never spoke to anyone at the palace about his relationship with Chelsy Davy.
Green suggests a well-connected source within the palace was passing information to the Mirror about Harry’s relationship.
This post was edited to remove information that is being checked against court transcripts.
Harry tells the court he would feel “some injustice” if his claim against MGN is unsuccessful.
Green says Harry repeatedly makes reference to call data in his witness statement.
Green says there is not a single item of call data at any time between Harry’s phone and any Mirror Group journalist.
“Do you think the absence of call data suggests you were not hacked by any MGN journalist?” Green asks.
“Absolutely not,” Harry replies.
“If the court finds that you were not hacked by MGN would you be relieved or disappointed?” Green asks.
Harry says phone hacking has been done on an “industrial scale” across at least three of the papers – and says any decision with his claim, he would “feel some injustice if it wasn’t accepted”.
“You want to have been phone hacked?” Green asks.
“Nobody wants to be phone hacked,” Harry replies.
Harry tells the court all articles published about him were distressing at the time, distressing to go through with his legal team and more distressing going through them again today in court.
Green turns to an article about Harry allegedly going to the strip club Spearmint Rhino and his then girlfriend Chelsy Davy being angered by this.
In his witness statement, Harry says he believes phones must have been hacked to inform the story.
Green turns to coverage by the News of the World, which led to the arrest and conviction of journalist Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire for the hacking of Harry’s phone, and phones around him.
Green is suggesting that the repercussions were so severe for Goodman and Mulcaire that it would effectively deter any other journalists – including those at Mirror Group titles – from attempting to hack Harry’s phone.
Green calls Harry up on an earlier statement the royal made about stories that are not in the “public interest”.
“There’s a difference between public interest and what interests the public,” Harry says.
Green suggests that a story about a royal receiving preferential treatment at a military academy, or stories about a royal taking drugs, might be “public interest”.
Harry disagrees, says they are not, so Green asks him: “What constitutes a public interest story?”
Harry replies: “I’m not entirely sure, other than speculating.”
“A life threatening injury,” Harry continues. “I’m sure there are others.”
The second day of evidence continues where we left off yesterday – with MGN barrister Andrew Green KC taking Prince Harry through a sample of articles the duke has submitted to support his claim.
The article he turns to is a 2005 People article, headlined “Harry Carry”, it claimed the duke was being let off “gruelling” runs at Sandhurst military academy due to an injury.
Green says Clarence House, formerly residence for then Prince Charles, released a full statement providing an update about Harry’s knee injury. The statement also included a quote from Harry himself.
In his witness statement, Harry says he was not freely discussing his health or injuries.
“Is that an entirely accurate statement?” Green asks.
“Yes,” Harry replies, adding that he became mistrustful of the medical staff at Sandhurst.
Prince Harry has returned to the witness box, ready to resume giving evidence when court starts at 10.30am. Yesterday afternoon he was reminded by the judge not to discuss his evidence with anyone else - with Harry telling the court he would not even tell his children when he FaceTimed them that night.
Prince Harry has entered the witness box and will soon start his second day of evidence.
The media circus outside the high court has attracted hangers on - including former East 17 singer Brian Harvey, who says he was a victim of phone hacking by tabloid newspapers.
He loudly heckled as Prince Harry arrived at the Rolls Building in central London this morning.
My colleague, media editor Jim Waterson, who is present in court today, has written this handy explainer about the key allegations made by the duke. It starts:
Prince Harry has a made an extensive series of allegations about the British media as part of his legal case against the publisher of the Daily Mirror.
These are the most important revelations and insights from the prince’s written evidence to the high court, in which he describes alleged illegal behaviour by tabloids – and the crushing mental impact of press intrusion.
Rishi Sunak’s government at ‘rock bottom’
Our country is judged globally by the state of our press and our government, both of which I believe are at rock bottom.
“Democracy fails when your press fails to scrutinise and hold the government accountable, and instead choose to get into bed with them so they can ensure the status quo.”
‘Horrific personal attacks’ by Piers Morgan
The thought of [the former Daily Mirror editor] Piers Morgan and his band of journalists earwigging into my mother’s private and sensitive messages … makes me feel physically sick and even more determined to hold those responsible, including Mr Morgan, accountable for their vile and entirely unjustified behaviour.
“Unfortunately, as a consequence of me bringing my Mirror Group claim, both myself and my wife have been subjected to a barrage of horrific personal attacks and intimidation from Piers Morgan … presumably in retaliation and in the hope that I will back down, before being able to hold him properly accountable for his unlawful activity towards both me and my mother during his editorship.”
Read the full article here:
Prince Harry has arrived at the High Court in central London, exiting a black Land Rover and heading straight inside with a quick wave to crowds as he goes.
He said good morning but did not answer reporters’ questions before walking into the building and passing security checks to enter the courtroom.
Harry’s box office appearance in the High Court has made the front pages of most of the British newspapers – including those he is suing in separate litigation.
A judge is currently deciding whether to allow this case against Rupert Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers to go to trial, with a verdict expected in the coming weeks. Harry alleges that journalists working for the Sun under the editorship hacked his phone and illegally used private investigators to dig up information for stories.
The Sun, then, might have chosen to bury or ignore the coverage of the Mirror Group litigation but instead opted for full guns blazing against the duke on its front page.
The headline “Me, Hewitt and that two faced shit Burrell” alludes to some of Harry’s evidence both spoken and in the written statement submitted to court. But the lede focuses on the criticism levelled at Harry by MGN’s barrister, Andrew Green KC.
Likewise, a judge is currently deciding whether to allow a case against the owner of the Daily Mail, Associated Newspapers, to go to trial, with a verdict expected in the coming weeks. Harry - and a group of other claimants including Doreen Lawrence and Elton John - allege that journalists working for the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday used private investigators to carry out illegal information gathering in the search for stories.
Again, the Daily Mail has chosen not to ignore Harry’s litigation against the MGN and has instead splashed on this comment piece by Jan Moir, with the scathing headline “He must have longed for the schmaltzy embrace of Oprah!”.
The Telegraph, which is not subject to any litigation from Harry, does not splash on the coverage but the story does feature on its front page alongside a large picture of the Duke.
Another News Group Newspapers publication, The Times, splashes on comments made by Prince Harry in his written statement, in which he breaks with royal protocal and openly criticises the UK Government, suggesting their reputation globally is at “rock bottom”.
And here at the Guardian we have a front page story focusing on the duke’s criticism of the tabloids and how their relentless pursuit of stories have damaged his life.
Welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of phone hacking claims against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) at the High Court in London.
Today, Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, will return to the witness box in the High Court to conclude his evidence in support of his claim against MGN.
While there was no smoking gun moment in Harry’s evidence yesterday, it was nonetheless a rare spectacle to see a senior royal cross-examined in court – for the first time since the 19th century.
The duke laid out the anguish he has suffered at the hands of a voracious tabloid press, questioned the methods of Mirror group journalists and hinted at the impact the relentless coverage has had on his family.
He is suing the publisher, claiming journalists at its titles – which also include the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People – were linked to methods including phone hacking, so-called “blagging” or gaining information by deception, and use of private investigators for unlawful activities.
MGN’s barrister, Andrew Green KC, reportedly referred to as a “beast” in court, took Harry meticulously one by one through the articles the duke has submitted to support his claim, challenging Harry’s assertion that the stories were based on or informed by illegal methods of information gathering, such as phone hacking.
Today, Green will continue to progress through the articles before Harry’s own barrister, David Sherborne, re-examines his client.
