I did a phone hacking trial anacdote last week that was quite popular, a colleague who was also there reminded me of another one today, the tale of the office cat.
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Anyways, quite early on in the case, a witness, Dan Evans said phone hacking at the News of the World was so widespread, "even the office cat knew about it."
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It sort of became a comforting kind of meme in the 8 month trial, every witness would be asked about the office cat, and it sort of became real to us.
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.@peterjukes , I and others used spend dull moments in coirtvspeculating about the office cat, what would a News of the World cat be like?
Would he be a good cat, or perhaps the sort of cat who would accuse other cats of sexual "romps" in the garden?
Who knew
Anyways, about 6 months in former editor Andy Coulson was on the witness stand and counsel for the prosecution asked the inevitable question.
"Surely even the office cat knew about phone hacking?"
And we all smiled.
He responded
"We didn't have an office cat."
It was awful, he had just killed the office cat, our imaginary friend who had helped us get through this marathon trial with his cheeky cat ways and winning smile!
The jury and us looked at him like a mister, "how dare he," we thought
Unsurprisingly Mr Coulson became the only one of the 6 defendants in the case unanimously convicted by the jury, they remembered our beloved kitty.
Don't know what the lesson of this is, other than don't mess with imaginary cats in court #Fin
*monster*
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Why did the Sun/News of the world hack William and Harry so much?
A thread.
Royal news and gossip was a staple of their output, but their problem was that, in 2006/2010 the younger members of the family, who the public was most interested wouldn't cooperate, as they blamed the press for Diana's death
Their Royal reporters were also mostly middle aged men in suits, they wouldn't exactly blend in at the London nightspots the young set hung out at
Counsel now going over emails sent to the Mail on Sunday to Harry's solicitors asking if they wanted to "comment or guide," them on their planned article.
Counsel, Harry had only made the offer to pay when the judicial review was already in progress.
Says "That's the basis of what the criticism [in the article] was about
Back at court (by video link) for a motions hearing in the case of Prince Harry v Associated Newspapers.
Not sure what I'll be able to report, but will let you all know what I can.