Princess Diana's former butler Paul Burrell wins substantial damages over phone hacking

Paul Burrell has won his phone hacking and invasion of privacy claim against MGN Newspapers, publisher of the Daily Mirror (photo: Getty Images)

Mr Burrell, who grew up in Grassmoor, also received a public apology from Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) after he brought legal action against the Daily Mirror.

At the High Court in London on Tuesday, lawyers for Mr Burrell said MGN accepted liability for the unlawful acts and had agreed to pay substantial damages plus his legal costs.

Mr Burrell, a trusted aide to Diana, Princess of Wales, was targeted by private investigators hired by the publisher who listened to his voicemails.

Francis Leonard, solicitor for Mr Burrell, said that between 1995 and 2008 the claimant was targeted by the defendant because he was a close friend and confidante of the princess and then subsequently because of his role within the public sphere after his departure from the royal household.

Mr Burrell’s voicemails had been targeted by MGN who also instructed private investigators at least three times between 2001 and 2002.

Numerous articles were published using the unlawfully obtained information that had severely impacted on Mr Burrell’s reputation and undermined his relationship with his legal team as he prepared for a trial over accusations that he stole hundreds of items from Diana’s estate, said Mr Leonard.

The trial subsequently collapsed in 2002 and Mr Burrell was cleared when it emerged that he had informed the Queen, shortly after the princess’s death, that he had taken several items for safekeeping.

Alexander Vakil, for MGN, said that the defendant offered his sincere apologies for the damage and distress caused to the claimant by the obtaining of his private information and the accessing of voicemail message.