Prince Harry's privacy trial: Judge rejects third request for delay

A judge on Tuesday rejected a request from Prince Harry's lawyers for a third delay to the start of his trial against Rupert Murdoch's British newspaper group.

According to express.co.uk, the trial was due to start at 10.30am on Tuesday but was pushed back to 11.30am after a request from both sides, and then delayed again to 2pm following a second request.

Harry is suing News Group Newspapers over alleged unlawful activities carried out by journalists and private investigators working for its papers, the Sun and the defunct News of the World, from 1996 until 2011.

Harry has said he wants to get to the truth, after about 40 other claimants, including actor Hugh Grant, settled cases to avoid the risk of a multi-million pound legal bill that could be imposed even if they won in court but had rejected NGN's offer.

The request of Harry's lawyer David Sherbourne, was rejected by judge Justice Fancourt.

The UK's Daily Express reported that the trial which is taking place  at the Rolls Building in London was due to start later on Tuesday.

 "Having spoken with Mr Hudson (Anthony Hudson KC, counsel for NGN), on behalf of both of us we would like to ask Your Lordship for more time, the lawyer argued before the court."

He said, "We don't do that lightly, as I am sure Your Lordship appreciates, but we do believe that with a couple of hours more today that, that given the progress that has been made between the parties, that that hopefully may be productive for the overall timetable of the trial."

"I can't say more about it at this stage. In the circumstances, there is only so much I can say, but Mr Hudson and I would not be asking for further time if we did not think it stood any prospect of potentially saving a lot of court time."

The publication reported that Prince Harry , Lord Watson and NGN have now made a joint bid to ask for permission to appeal against the decision of Mr Justice Fancourt to not allow a third adjournment.

Anthony Hudson KC, for NGN, said: "Both parties are in complete agreement... The number of times the parties have been in agreement in this litigation are very few and far between."

Mr Hudson said the legal teams for both sides "have been involved in very intense negotiations over the last few days and the reality is we are very close".

The news outlet reported that both sides have the right to appeal the judge's decision at the High Court.

Justice Fancourt said: "I'm not going to stand in the way of access to justice if the parties wish to go to the Court of Appeal."