December 11, 2013

Prince Harry ‘blitzed’ by calls and texts from then girlfriend Chelsy Davy while at Sandhurst, court told

Prince Harry was “blitzed” with calls and texts from then girlfriend Chelsy Davy while he was training at Sandhurst, a court heard today.

Royal editor of the News of the World Clive Goodman sent an email to his editor Andy Coulson advising him about the level of phone traffic from Davy.

The email in 2005 said: “He's not allowed to use his mobile at Sandhurst until he's off duty but she's blitzing him with dozens of calls and texts when he should be concentrating on his training."

The court was told that Harry could only use his mobile once he had completed his official duties at 10pm.

The court has heard claims that the newspaper used phone-hacking to get stories on the royals, including a claim that Harry broke rules at Sandhurst by asking an aide for help with an essay.

Jurors have been told that a story titled "Harry's aide helps out on Sandhurst exams" came from a voicemail illegally accessed by private investigator Glenn Mulcaire for Goodman.

The story came from a voicemail message left by Harry for his private secretary Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, asking for information to help with an essay, the court has been told.

Goodman, 56, from Addlestone, Surrey, and Coulson, 45, from Charing, Kent face two allegations that they conspired together and with other unknown people to commit misconduct in public office between 31 August 2002 and 31 January 2003, and between 31 January 2005 and 3 June 2005.

Coulson is also accused of conspiring to hack phones between 3 October 2000 and 9 August 2006.

That charge is also faced by former News of the World and Sun editor Rebekah Brooks, 45, of Churchill, Oxfordshire, Ian Edmondson, 44, of Raynes Park, south west London and former managing editor Stuart Kuttner, 73, of Woodford Green, Essex.

Brooks also faces two counts of conspiring with others to commit misconduct in public office – one between 1 January 2004 and 31 January 2012, and the other between 9 February 2006 and 16 October 2008 – linked to alleged inappropriate payments to public officials.

She also faces two allegations of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice – one with her former personal assistant Cheryl Carter, 49, of Chelmsford, Essex, between 6-9 July 2011, and a second with her husband, Charles Brooks, and former News International head of security Mark Hanna and others between 15 July and 19 July 2011

All of the accused deny all of the charges.

The trial continues.