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October 10, 2019updated 30 Sep 2022 8:26am

Ben Stokes suing Sun for breach of privacy over family tragedy story

By Freddy Mayhew

England cricketer Ben Stokes has filed a privacy claim against The Sun over its front page story about his mother’s tragic family past.

Stokes and his mother, Deborah, have instructed law firm Brabners for the case against Sun publisher News Group Newspapers, investigative website Byline Investigates has reported.

It relates to a story published on 17 September revealing details about the deaths of Stokes’ mother’s children from a previous relationship three decades ago.

The decision to print the story prompted a backlash against the top-selling tabloid newspaper.

The Sun defended the story at the time as having been told with the full co-operation of a family member, but Stokes hit out on social media, labelling the article “immoral and heartless”.

He added: “To use my name as an excuse to shatter the privacy and private lives of – in particular – my parents is utterly disgusting.”

The Sun declined to comment on the case today.

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Earlier this week Byline also revealed Prince Harry had filed a claim against NGN, which published the now-defunct News of the World Sunday tabloid, over allegations of phone hacking.

Picture: Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra

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