Thread by @BeccaBarry

Fiona Wightman, ex-wife of comedian Paul Whitehouse, is now giving evidence.

Mirror Group Newspapers admits unlawful information gathering - including paying a private investigator to “blag” her private medical records during her cancer treatment. But deny she was phoned hacked.

Fiona Wightman says in her witness statement “I began to get door stepped by journalists and asked to talk about my cancer. I was really shocked as I considered it private and didn't at any point give my story to the press.”

“I had someone calling the hospital pretending they should have had access to my records. I felt totally invaded and confused.”

“I find it absolutely extraordinary to know now that MGN’s journalists would have been listening to my messages. It still really shocks me, because of everything I was going through. I was young, I had ovarian cancer, and the prognosis for ovarian cancer then was awful.”

“My husband had an affair. It sounds like a tragedy. I am not a tragedy, but I was dealing with such incredibly difficult, painful things. For someone to have listened to my messages and thought “there is a great story here” is just awful.“

“It was deeply shocking to see the invoices & finally understand who it had been that had called my doctor’s secretary, it’s completely inhumane. I was still feeling upset & anxious, having a cancer diagnosis & two little kids. I was obviously fragile. How could they do that?”

She writes “What the Defendant did to me was cruel & intrusive. I don’t really know how they live with themselves or how they sleep at night. The idea that someone else’s tragedy, struggle or marriage breakdown is fodder for newspapers is horrendous. Where is their empathy?”

“To think it is acceptable to look at a woman’s gynecological cancer and try to find a way to make it public is utterly beyond the pale. I had lots of people doorstepping me asking me if I was okay and if I wanted to talk to them about my cancer.”

Fiona Wightman, ex-wife of comedian Paul Whitehouse, is scathing of Mirror titles for illegally getting her medical records when she had cancer.

“I became withdrawn & mistrustful of people around me. I will never forgive the Defendant... It is indefensible.”

Comedian Paul Whitehouse has given a statement in support of his ex-wife:

“It is called a private life for a reason - it is axiomatic.

“MGN’s journalists overstepped the mark... It makes us both feel very angry.”

#Hacking #PrinceHarry

Paul Whitehouse says: “Someone even tried to access her medical records. It absolutely put more pressure on her, especially as there could have been possible medical implications caused by the stress. It’s beyond belief.”

The Fast Show comedian Paul Whitehouse: “It is deeply upsetting to Fiona to now know that that they were digging around into her personal and private health grief. It’s hard to put into words really, it’s sick.”

#Hacking #MirrorGroup #PrinceHarry

Through tears Fiona Wightman told the court: “There is something incredibly vulnerable about a young mother getting a shock cancer diagnosis, coming to terms with the fact that I might die and my kids might grow up not knowing how much I love them….”

“…I feel that it’s really really important that responsibility should be taken by the tabloid press for the impact that this can have on a family.”

She became emotional in the witness box as she told the court she hadn’t finished a plate of food or slept properly for a week - she felt so anxious about appearing.

“I was always discrete… I’ve now had to discuss the most painful times… ironically it can now be reported.”