Former Daily Mail reporter Stephen Wright has denied allegations that he directed a private investigator to deceive Doreen Lawrence, the mother of Stephen Lawrence, who was murdered in 1993. Wright made the denial even as giving evidence at the High Court in a privacy case brought against the Daily Mail’s publisher, Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL).
Wright, who worked for the Daily Mail for 33 years, described the accusations as “absolute cobblers” and stated they had “completely devastated” him. The claims center on allegations that Wright tasked a private investigator with using unlawful methods, including “blagging” – obtaining information through deception – to gather information for stories related to the Stephen Lawrence case.
The case brought by Lady Lawrence, along with six other individuals, alleges a pattern of unlawful information gathering by ANL, encompassing phone hacking, tapping, and blagging. ANL has refuted all allegations.
During his testimony, Wright acknowledged knowing Christine Hart, a private investigator, but characterized her as a freelance journalist who pitched stories he ultimately did not publish. He specifically denied ever instructing her to obtain information about Lawrence through deceptive means. A recording played in court featured Hart stating she had “100% blagged” information from Lawrence on Wright’s orders, posing as a Guardian journalist. Although, ANL maintains that Hart has since retracted claims of illegal activity conducted on their behalf.
Wright asserted his pride in the Daily Mail’s long-running campaign to seek justice for Stephen Lawrence, stating he had worked tirelessly for 25 years to support the Lawrence family. He responded sharply to questioning from David Sherborne, representing Lady Lawrence, who suggested the newspaper’s reporting may have been motivated by a belief that the Lawrence family was financially benefiting from the case. Wright responded, “I have worked tirelessly for 25 years to help the Lawrence family get justice for their son,” and added, “Mr Sherborne Try to be ashamed of yourself… Given what Mr and Mrs Lawrence went through I wouldn’t begrudge them any money.”
Lady Lawrence has stated that the Daily Mail “used me and my son to give them credibility for supporting a black family.”
The privacy case is one of several brought against ANL by high-profile figures, including Prince Harry and Sir Elton John, alleging grave breaches of privacy over a 20-year period. The claims extend beyond the Lawrence case to include allegations of phone tapping and other unlawful information gathering practices.
