High-profile British presenter Piers Morgan faces serious question marks about his career and possible future prosecution after a High Court judge ruled he knew about phone hacking during his time as editor of the Daily Mirror.
The broadcaster, who has been condemned by many Muslims for his alleged mistreatment of Muslim guests on his Talk TV show, has always denied any involvement in, or knowledge of, phone-hacking or other illegal activity.
In his Friday ruling, Judge Timothy Fancourt found that Prince Harry had been a victim of phone-hacking and other unlawful behaviour by journalists at Mirror Group Newspapers, and said editors had been aware of what was going on.
Speaking to the press outside his own front door, Morgan issued a statement denying knowledge of any phone-hacking, saying: “I’ve never hacked a phone or told anyone else to hack a phone… and nobody has produced any actual evidence to prove that I did.”
Morgan also said he didn’t have any conversations with Mirror Group Newspaper (MGN) lawyers throughout the case brought by Prince Harry, meaning he could not respond to allegations made against him in court.
He said those claims were made “by old foes of mine with an axe to grind.”
During the court hearings, Omid Scobie, co-author of “Finding Freedom”, an unofficial 2020 biography of Harry and Meghan, gave evidence that Morgan was “reassured” over a 2002 story about singer Kylie Minogue and her then partner James Gooding after being told it had come from voicemail interception.
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Hailing the result as a victory, Prince Harry said in the statement: “Today is a great day for truth, as well as accountability. The court has ruled that unlawful and criminal activities were carried out at all three Mirror group newspaper titles – the Mirror, the Sunday Mirror and the People – on a habitual and widespread basis for over more than a decade.
“This case is not just about hacking – it is about a systemic practice of unlawful and appalling behaviour, followed by cover-ups and destruction of evidence, the shocking scale of which can only be revealed through these proceedings.”
Over the past week, Morgan has been embroiled in additional controversy after issuing several comments which many Muslim onlookers branded “anti-Islam.”
The comments, which included female converts to Islam convert because “they want to be oppressed,” were made during a Talk TV interview with Muslim NHS Dr. Abdul Wahid.
Piers Morgan has since been criticised for a series of X posts which appear to warn the NHS about Abdul Wahid working as a GP.
The posts have been widely seen by many Muslims as an attempt by Morgan, the host of a show titled ‘Piers Morgan Uncensored’, to pressure the NHS to remove Dr. Wahid from his position.
Muslim journalist and 5Pillars Editor, Roshan Salih, reacting to the story said on X: “A High Court judge has ruled that Piers Morgan knew about phone hacking – and was involved – when he was editor of the Daily Mirror. This man’s career as a journalist should now be over with immediate effect. The same man who is trying to get a Muslim doctor prosecuted should now face prosecution. Allah is just.”
Additonally, Dilly Hussain, who appeared on Morgan’s show to challenge his views on Islam said via X: “After yesterday’s show, I asked @piersmorgan whether he believes in Palestinians’ right to self-defence. He unequivocally said NO. Piers believes Palestinians should use diplomacy for a two-state solution while getting bombed, killed, and occupied by Israel. So it makes sense why he equates ANY act of Palestinian ‘resistance’ with ‘terrorism.'”
Criminal defence solicitor Tasnime Akunjee, who recently went viral on X urging Muslims to consider boycotting Morgan’s show posted on X: “Piers… looks like you might be in the market for a criminal lawyer … I might know a guy… Fancourt said in his written ruling on Friday that Scobie was: “a straightforward and reliable witness”. “I accept what he said about Mr Morgan’s involvement in the Minogue/Gooding story,” the judge added. ‘No evidence has called by MGN to contradict it.’ ; After the ruling, Harry called on regulators and the police to investigate potential criminal offences.”
Questions are now circulating as to whether Piers Morgan’s career as a major TV journalist may now be on the line following the judge’s ruling.
