Paul Henderson, a former senior journalist at the Mail on Sunday, appeared before the High Court in London today, where he rejected accusations that he instructed private investigators to intercept communications belonging to associates of Prince Harry, including Carole Middleton and Chelsy Davy.
The journalist, employed by the Mail on Sunday and Daily Mail in various capacities from 1989 to 2005, is testifying in a landmark case brought by the Duke of Sussex and other prominent figures against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL).
Mr Henderson is alleged by the claimants to have played a role in two articles at the centre of the lawsuit, which they claim resulted from unlawful methods of obtaining information.
ANL denies all allegations of unlawful information gathering.
Former Daily Mail journalist denies targeting Carole Middleton and Chelsy Davy in Prince Harry case
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During his testimony in London on Thursday, Mr Henderson denied instructing private investigator Gavin Burrows to obtain information through deception, intercept phone communications, install surveillance equipment, or monitor vehicles.
Mr Henderson stated in his witness statement: "I did not commission Mr Burrows to obtain itemised phone bills, hack or tap the phones of Prince Harry's friends, place a hardwire tap on or intercept the voicemails of Guy Pelly's phone, gather information unlawfully about Chelsy Davy or carry out any blags."
The former editor also addressed claims that Mr Burrows was directed to target other high-profile individuals, including Hugh Grant, Carole Middleton, Elizabeth Hurley, Ken Livingstone, Peter Mandelson, Brian Paddick and Simon Bates.
"I did not ask him to target these individuals," Mr Henderson told the court.
Associated Newspapers 'strongly denies' that there was any unlawful information gathering, including voicemail interception, directed at Prince Harry or his associates | PAHe specifically denied commissioning Mr Burrows to tap landlines at the homes of Ms Hurley or Mr Grant, attach a miniature microphone to Ms Hurley's window, or place a listening device in Mr Grant's vehicle.
Mr Henderson further rejected allegations that he ordered surveillance of Sir Elton John and David Furnish's Windsor residence.
The claimants' barrister, David Sherborne, challenged Mr Henderson's account during cross-examination, asserting: "You know perfectly well that you commissioned Mr Whittamore on a number of occasions."
Mr Henderson responded: "I do not know perfectly well, I do not remember any of this." The former news editor also told the court he had no recollection of commissioning another private investigator, Steve Whittamore.
Prince Harry chatting to Carole and Michael Middleton at the Rugby World Cup in 2015
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However, Mr Whittamore's witness statement for the trial claims Mr Henderson appears on a contacts list containing more than 25 journalists.
Mr Whittamore, who was not cross-examined by ANL, stated: "I specifically recall that I only updated the contacts list after I had spoken to the individuals concerned, and I kept it continually updated, hence the handwritten notes."
He described the list as "a record of who I spoke to."
In written submissions, Mr Sherborne stated it would be "proved at trial" that Mr Henderson commissioned several private investigators, including Gavin Burrows, Daniel "Detective Danno" Hanks, Steve Whittamore through his company JJ Services, and Glenn Mulcaire.
Prince Harry with his former girlfriend Chelsy Davy in 2006 | PAMr Henderson is scheduled to resume his testimony on Friday.
The case involves a group of prominent claimants alongside the Duke of Sussex, including actress Sadie Frost, Liz Hurley, former Liberal Democrat MP Sir Simon Hughes, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, and Sir Elton John with his husband David Furnish.
ANL denies all allegations of unlawful information gathering.
The trial, being heard by Mr Justice Nicklin, is expected to wrap up in March, with a written judgment to follow at a later date.