Former Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre took the stand in London's High Court on Tuesday afternoon, describing allegations against the newspaper as «especially bewildering and bitterly wounding.» He testified in defense of Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), which faces claims of unlawful information gathering from Baroness Doreen Lawrence and six other high-profile individuals.
Dacre, who led the Daily Mail for 26 years, told the court his heart bleeds for Lady Lawrence. But he firmly rejected suggestions the newspaper engaged in illegal activity while campaigning for justice after her son Stephen's murder in 1993.
The Stephen Lawrence Campaign
The former editor expressed particular pain over allegations related to the Daily Mail's Stephen Lawrence coverage. «The claims of criminality made on behalf of Baroness Doreen Lawrence in relation to the Daily Mail's 15-year campaign for her murdered son Stephen are especially bewildering and bitterly wounding to me personally,» he said in his testimony.
He described the campaign as the one he was most proud of during his editorship. The newspaper's famous February 14, 1997, front page labeled five men as «murderers» and challenged them to sue for libel. Dacre called suggestions that the campaign was run to «generate exclusive headlines, sell newspapers and profit» as «sickeningly misplaced and bleakly cynical.»
The Allegations
Lady Lawrence and six others—including the Duke of Sussex, Sir Elton John, David Furnish, Sir Simon Hughes, Liz Hurley, and Sadie Frost—allege ANL engaged in unlawful practices spanning at least two decades. The claims include hidden electronic surveillance, landline tapping, bank account monitoring, and payments to police officers for confidential information.
David Sherborne, representing the claimants, argued there is «indisputable evidence» that ANL journalists and executives commissioned and approved unlawfully obtained information. He suggested Dacre's testimony «is motivated by a desire to protect your legacy.»
Dacre pushed back, saying the allegations were «inconceivable» and «simply defies reason.» He described the claims as «grave and sometimes preposterous allegations» that have «astonished, appalled and – in the small hours of the night – reduced me to rage.»
ANL's Defense
ANL, through its barrister Antony White KC, has denied the allegations «in their entirety,» calling them «unsupported by the available evidence.» In written submissions, White stated: «In fact, the reality is that the information in each of the articles was obtained by entirely legitimate reporting and based on the sources identified by Associated in its defence and evidence.»
Dacre emphasized the impact on his staff, saying the claims have been «deeply upsetting» and «traumatic» for journalists. «I have witnessed the anguish of honest, dedicated journalists who, for three years now, have had an insidious dark shadow hanging over their lives,» he told the court.
What Happens Next
The trial before Mr Justice Nicklin is scheduled to conclude in March. A written judgment will be delivered at a later date.
Sherborne told the court that ANL «have to live by their all-or-nothing defence,» dismissing the newspaper's position as «smoke and mirrors» and «carefully orchestrated attacks.»
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
