Baroness Doreen Lawrence, the mother of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence, has accused the Daily Mail of making her feel "like a victim all over again" due to alleged unlawful phone hacking. Speaking at the High Court in London, Lawrence detailed how the newspaper's actions reminded her of the police's mishandling of her son's murder investigation in 1993.

Allegations of Unlawful Information Gathering

Baroness Lawrence is part of a group of high-profile individuals, including Prince Harry, Sir Elton John, and actresses Liz Hurley and Sadie Frost, who are suing Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL) for alleged privacy breaches. The claimants accuse the publisher of engaging in unlawful information gathering techniques, such as phone hacking, "blagging," and electronic surveillance over a 20-year period. Lawrence's claims specifically relate to five articles published between 1997 and 2007, which she alleges relied on information stolen about her and the investigation into her son's murder.

Betrayal of Trust

In her testimony, Lawrence expressed her anger and sense of betrayal, stating that the Daily Mail had used her and her son's case to gain credibility as supporters of a black family. She recounted how she had trusted the newspaper, which had campaigned for justice for her son, only to discover that they had allegedly been gathering information unlawfully. "I felt like I had been taken for a fool," she told the court, adding that she no longer trusts the publication.

Denial of Allegations

Associated Newspapers has denied all allegations, describing them as "lurid" and "preposterous." Despite this, the case has drawn significant attention due to the involvement of prominent figures and the serious nature of the accusations. Lawrence's involvement is particularly noteworthy given the Daily Mail's historical support for her campaign for justice following Stephen's murder.