In a massive 436-page ruling, Justice Matthew Nicklin dismissed all 97 claims brought by Harry and his side in a humiliating loss.
Nicklin scolded the plaintiffs in the judgment, writing, “In substance, the claimants’ case invites the Court to conclude that, because the information was private and because Associated cannot positively explain how it was sourced, the article must have been unlawfully sourced. That is not a permissible approach.”
ANL said it would seek to recover some of the nearly $67million the company claimed it spent during the four-year legal battle.
“Associated Newspapers thanks Mr. Justice Nicklin for the patience and wisdom he has displayed throughout this misguided legal action, which has wasted so much valuable court time and more than £50m in legal costs,” the company said in a statement.
It added, “We will look to resolve outstanding issues, including the recovery of the costs we have incurred while defending ourselves against this egregious litigation.”
Harry and co-claimant Baroness Doreen Lawrence blasted Nicklin’s decision, calling it a “complete and obvious whitewash.”