Nikki Sanderson had ‘hair set on fire’ after tabloids ‘painted her as promiscuous’, Prince Harry hacking trial told | Ents & Arts News

Cleaning soap star Nikki Sanderson suffered abuse as a younger lady over tabloid tales insinuating she was “promiscuous”, the Excessive Court docket has heard – together with folks “screaming insults” and one incident when her hair was “set on fireplace”.

The actress, who now stars in Hollyoaks however rose to fame as an adolescent when she landed the position of Candice Stowe in Coronation Street in 1999, adopted Prince Harry within the witness field to present proof towards Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), the writer of the Day by day Mirror.

Answering cross-examination questions on Friday, Ms Sanderson, 39, at one level grew to become emotional and stated reliving particulars of tales written about her had been “traumatic”.

She additionally accused MGN of “gaslighting” of their denial of her allegations.

Mirror hacking allegations court case – as it happened

It’s alleged that journalists at MGN titles – which additionally embrace the Sunday Mirror and Sunday Folks – have been linked to strategies together with telephone hacking, so-called “blagging” or gaining info by deception, and the usage of non-public investigators for illegal actions.

Ms Sanderson, who starred in Coronation Road from 1999 to 2005, alleges the data in some 37 articles, revealed between 2003 and 2009, was obtained via types of illegal info gathering.

MGN says her declare has been introduced too late and denies illegal exercise save for 4 events in 2004 and 2005, when its journalists instructed non-public investigators to acquire details about her.

Writing concerning the influence tabloid intrusion had on her life in a witness assertion, Ms Sanderson described “tales insinuating that I used to be promiscuous” as “very distressing”.

One story made her out to be “bed-hopping and sleeping with three folks in a single week”, she stated, which was “thus far faraway from the reality” – however the traces between her and her TV cleaning soap character had been “blurred”.

Key factors from witness statements

• Statements from Nikki Sanderson’s mum, ex-boyfriend, and actress Tina O’Brien have additionally been submitted in help of her case
• Coronation Road star Ms O’Brien compares media curiosity to “poisonous relationship”
• Ms Sanderson’s mum tells how her daughter grew to become paranoid and “misplaced a few of her sparkle”
• Ex-partner Danny Younger, who additionally starred in Corrie, says being a well-known actor “isn’t all it is cracked as much as be”

‘Folks would elbow me, push me’

Describing “the backlash” from the general public, Ms Sanderson wrote: “I used to be subjected to each psychological and bodily abuse.

“Folks would shout at me on the street, calling me a whore, a slag or a slut.

“Folks would elbow me, push me and, on one event, a bunch of women even set my hair on fireplace.”

This occurred in a nightclub bathroom, she stated.

Ms Sanderson stated: “I used to be washing my fingers and I smelt burning. I appeared down they usually had set fireplace to the again of my hair.”

She additionally described one other event when she felt pressured to barricade herself in a bathroom at a bowling alley after being threatened by a bunch of women.

“This sort of factor was fixed,” she stated.

‘Like serial killer dramas’

In her assertion, Ms Sanderson recollects paparazzi photographers following her to take footage whereas she was on vacation, describing their actions as “creepy, like these stuff you see on serial killer dramas”.

She additionally criticises MGN for “hiring random males to observe” her.

“I used to be a younger woman on the time… they might have carried out something to me,” she wrote.

In court docket, she stated she felt like she couldn’t “go locations with out somebody watching”.

Ms Sanderson claims MGN’s alleged “unlawful actions” have had a “enormous influence” on her life and left her paranoid about sharing info, even with family and friends.

At one level, she suspected a Coronation Road press officer of leaking details about her, she wrote in her witness assertion – one thing she feels “terrible” about now.

Learn extra on the case towards MGN:
Ex-Mirror royal correspondent gives evidence
Harry’s moment in court is over – was he or the King right?

‘I stated that and I stand by that’

She makes use of the phrase “abuse” a number of instances all through her assertion, saying on the finish that she doesn’t accomplish that calmly.

“These folks have been in positions of energy,” she wrote. “I used to be attacked by individuals who have been extra highly effective than me.”

“I stated that and I stand by that,” she instructed Andrew Inexperienced KC, who’s representing MGN in court docket.

Requested by Mr Inexperienced about this a part of her assertion in court docket, the actress replied: “The behaviour has been horrific, the gaslighting I really feel has gone on with me. The truth that I am having to do that right now is traumatic.”

Mr Inexperienced then requested the actress: “If you happen to contemplate your therapy by MGN to be tantamount to baby abuse… why have been you giving an interview to the Day by day Mirror in 2019?”

Ms Sanderson stated it was a deliberate piece for Valentine’s Day and later instructed the court docket there was a distinction with ready interviews which have been below her “management”.

Mr Inexperienced confirmed the court docket situations the place Ms Sanderson would willingly converse to the media.

He stated that, “solely pretty”, the actress wanted media publicity “in an effort to proceed to advertise” her profession.

He additionally confirmed the court docket options together with one exhibiting Ms Sanderson posing in lingerie for a males’s journal.

In her witness assertion, Ms Sanderson stated it was not “truthful” and added “insult to damage” for MGN to depend on press tales and photograph shoots she consented to.

Engaged on a TV cleaning soap you “have an obligation to do sure interviews, tv programmes and photoshoots”, she wrote.

“There’s a large distinction between one thing you might be conscious of and in command of versus the defendant hacking into my voicemail messages towards my will or hiring folks to observe me and take images of me.”

Proof is ‘weak’, MGN argues

Ms Sanderson’s barrister David Sherborne beforehand instructed the court docket that the actress solely grew to become conscious she had a possible declare towards MGN after chatting along with her Hollyoaks co-star Gary Lucy.

The actress had suspected mates, folks engaged on Coronation Road, and members of the general public of promoting tales about her, and subsequently “did not suspect illegal strategies getting used” till she spoke to Mr Lucy about it in 2019, Mr Sherborne stated.

In response on Friday, Mr Inexperienced instructed the court docket that the proof in Ms Sanderson’s case is “weak” and MGN does “not settle for that it establishes a case of voicemail interception” nor that it exhibits “systemic hacking” of her telephone.

Learn extra:
The people named in Harry’s witness statement
Harry’s evidence – watch reconstructions of key moments

The writer has denied that 35 of the 37 articles concerned telephone hacking or illegal info gathering, with one article being not admitted.

MGN has stated Ms Sanderson’s declare has been introduced too late, however “unreservedly apologises” over 4 funds made to personal investigators which it admits are proof of directions to unlawfully acquire her non-public info.

Prince Harry and Ms Sanderson are two of 4 consultant claimants whose proof towards MGN is being heard on the Excessive Court docket, alongside Coronation Road actor Michael Turner, recognized professionally as Michael Le Vell, and comic Paul Whitehouse’s ex-wife Fiona Wightman.