Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 17, 2025

Hugh Grant accuses Sun publisher of 'deliberate false denials'

Hugh Grant accuses Sun publisher of 'deliberate false denials'

Hugh Grant says the publisher of The Sun newspaper used a "deliberate policy of false denials" to prevent him suing for breaches of his privacy.
A witness statement from him alleges the paper commissioned private investigators to break into his home and steal his private information.

The actor was at the High Court for legal arguments as News UK attempted to get his case thrown out.

The publisher denies the claims and wants the judge to reject them.

Hugh Grant's statement claims that for years, News UK, as it is now called, lied about its involvement in phone hacking and illegal information gathering.

He said the company had a "vast, long-lasting and deliberate policy strategy plan of false denials and other concealment in relation to The Sun, to prevent me, and others in a similar position, from bringing claims against them."

This included, he said, false denials to the Leveson Inquiry into Press Standards, a press complaints body, and in public statements.

Prince Harry is also suing the publisher of the Sun over alleged unlawful information-gathering.

In recent years, News UK has settled a series of claims about illegal information gathering, without admitting liability.

The question of when victims of press intrusion learnt that they might have a case is crucial to this stage of the legal process because usually civil claims have to be brought within six years.

Many of the "hacking" claims date back much further, and could be dismissed as too old.

Mr Grant said in his statement that he only became fully aware of the intrusions into his personal life last year when a private investigator, Gavin Burrows, told him The Sun had hired private investigators to target him.

"Mr Burrows had information that, in addition to hacking my phone and tapping my landline, he was aware that my premises had been burgled by people working for The Sun and that a tracking device had been placed in my car. I found this astonishing."

Hugh Grant told the Leveson Inquiry in 2011 that his flat had been broken into and that a story shortly afterwards had given details of the inside.

In the statement, he said: "I had no evidence that this burglary was carried out or commissioned on the instruction of the press, let alone The Sun".

He also learned that private investigators specialising in "blagging" medical information by ringing hospitals had also been paid to find out about the birth of his daughter to Tinglan Hong, his former partner.

"Although we did our best to keep this information out of the public domain, we suspected that it was leaked by the hospital to the media", he said.

However the recent disclosures convinced him The Sun had been behind the targeting of his private life.

He said News UK "considered itself above the law and is using the law now in a way I believe it was never intended, that is to further cover-up and conceal what it has done."

"I strongly believe that cannot be allowed to happen and that what it has done must be brought to light."

Mr Justice Fancourt said another legal hearing would be needed in early July before he could deliver his judgement.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
Nationwide 'No Kings' Protests Challenge Trump's Leadership
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
Germany Holds First Veterans Celebration Since WWII
U.S. Health Secretary Dismisses CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee
Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and Husband Killed in Targeted Attack; Senator John Hoffman and Wife Injured
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
HSBC Accelerates Chairman Succession as Mark Tucker Prepares Departure
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Cristina Kirchner Requests House Arrest Citing Assassination Risk
Beata Thunberg Rebrands as Beata Ernman Amidst Sister's Activism Controversy
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Black Box Recovered from Air India Crash Site
Sole Survivor of Air India Crash Recounts Escape
UK and EU Reach New Economic Agreement
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Two Women Found Dead in Eryri National Park
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Pentagon Initiates Review of AUKUS Nuclear Submarine Pact
Meta to Invest $15 Billion in Scale AI to Advance AGI Goals
Rare Cancer Cases Triple Among Millennials, Alarming Doctors
G7 Finance Ministers Convene in Canada with Focus on Ukraine and Trade Tariffs
×