Hugh Grant Settles Privacy Case Against The Sun, Avoiding Costly Trial

British actor Hugh Grant has settled a privacy case against the publisher of The Sun newspaper, News Group Newspapers (NGN), over allegations that journalists used private investigators to tap his phone and burgle his house. The settlement was reached without any admission of liability by NGN to avoid a costly trial that could have left Grant liable for up to £10 million in legal costs.

Grant, along with Prince Harry and other claimants, had alleged that NGN violated their privacy through widespread unlawful activities between 1994 and 2016, including hiring private investigators to intercept voicemails, tap phones, bug cars, and use deception to access confidential information. NGN has previously settled more than 1,300 cases related to the now-defunct News of the World tabloid, but this settlement of a lawsuit focused exclusively on alleged wrongdoing at The Sun raises questions about the sustainability of NGN's long-held position of denying any wrongdoing by its staff.

In a statement, Grant expressed his reluctance to settle, saying he was offered an "enormous sum of money" but did not want to accept it due to the risk of facing the high legal costs if the case went to trial. "I was advised that, even if I won the case, I could be left with a legal bill of up to £10 million if the court awarded me even a penny less than the settlement offer," Grant said. "I had no choice but to settle as I could not risk that financial loss."

The settlement leaves Prince Harry and 41 other claimants scheduled to go to trial against NGN in January 2024, though their lawyer said settlements are being forced upon them. NGN had previously asked the court to hold a narrower preliminary trial to determine whether the cases were brought too late, but this request was dismissed by the judge, who said it would increase costs and delay the full trial.

Why this matters: The settlement highlights the ongoing battle for privacy rights and accountability in media practices, with high-profile individuals like Hugh Grant and Prince Harry taking on powerful media companies. It also raises questions about the effectiveness of the civil litigation process in holding media organizations accountable for alleged wrongdoing, given the financial risks and pressures to settle cases out of court.

Grant said he would direct the settlement money to groups like Hacked Off, which advocates for a free and accountable press. "I will use the settlement money to help fund the work of Hacked Off and other organizations that seek to hold the press accountable for its worst excesses and to campaign for a proper public inquiry into the practices and ethics of the press," Grant stated. The settlement comes less than a year after a judge rejected NGN's attempt to push out Grant's lawsuit, stating that the allegations, if true, would establish "very serious deliberate wrongdoing" on an institutional scale at The Sun.

Key Takeaways

• Hugh Grant settles privacy case against The Sun's publisher for undisclosed sum.
• Grant and others alleged journalists used PIs to intercept voicemails, tap phones, and more.
• Settlement avoids costly trial that could have left Grant liable for up to £10M.
• Prince Harry and 41 others still scheduled to go to trial against publisher in 2024.
• Grant will use settlement to fund groups holding press accountable for wrongdoing.