Former Daily Mail editor tells trial he stopped use of private investigators

Paul Dacre, the former long-serving editor of the Daily Mail, testified at the High Court in London on Tuesday during a landmark privacy trial to defend Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) against allegations of systemic unlawful information gathering. Appearing as a key witness, Dacre stated that he had effectively put the "shutters down" on the use of private investigators for shadowy newsgathering techniques shortly after taking the helm of the publication. The testimony comes as part of a high-profile legal battle brought by several prominent figures, including Prince Harry and Sir Elton John, who claim the publisher engaged in phone tapping, blagging, and other illicit activities to obtain private information. During his rigorous examination, Dacre emphasized that he had issued strict directives to his editorial staff to cease any reliance on third-party investigators who operated in legal gray areas. He argued that the culture of the Daily Mail under his leadership transitioned toward more transparent and ethical journalistic practices long before the industry-wide scrutiny of the Leveson Inquiry. Dacre challenged the claimants' assertions, characterizing the allegations of widespread illegality as a "grotesque" distortion of the newspaper's operational reality during his tenure. Lawyers representing the claimants pushed back against Dacre’s narrative, presenting evidence they suggest shows a continued reliance on controversial data-mining methods well into the 2000s. The civil trial is expected to delve deeper into the specific accounting records and internal communications of ANL to determine whether senior management was aware of or sanctioned the alleged privacy breaches. This case represents a critical moment for the British press, as it tests the statute of limitations for historical privacy claims and the accountability of high-level editors for past newsroom conduct.