Former Mail on Sunday Editor Denies Ordering Medical Blag in High Court Case
Katie Nicholl, a former diary editor and royal editor at the Mail on Sunday, has strongly denied allegations that she commissioned a "blag" of sensitive medical information about actor Sadie Frost. The high court in London heard that Frost, who is part of a group of seven claimants including Prince Harry, alleges that Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL) used unlawful methods such as blagging, hacking, and phone tapping to obtain stories over two decades.
Details of the Allegations
During the proceedings, David Sherborne, the lead barrister for the claimants, focused on a passage in Nicholl's notebook from autumn 2003, which referred to Frost's ectopic pregnancy. The notes included details such as "Sadie Frost: Had some note re: Ultrascan. Yes, she is having that kind of treatment. She went for an ultrasound. She is pregnant," and identified Frost's doctor and psychological treatment dates.
Frost's legal team emphasized that she had not disclosed this pregnancy to her sisters or even her own mother, making the information highly intrusive. Sherborne argued that the notes indicated an "obvious medical blag" of Frost's records, pointing to references like "Susie" in the margin, which he linked to Susie Mallis from the private investigation firm ELI, and payment notes labelled "Katie Nicholls Urgent Enq" and "K Nicholl's Searches."
Nicholl's Defense
In response, Nicholl categorically denied ever asking anyone to blag medical records or using ELI. She stated that her notes recorded a conversation with freelance journalist Sharon Feinstein, whom she described as having "a very, very good source" within Frost's inner circle. Nicholl suggested that her original note might have referred to "Sadie" rather than "Susie," and she could not be certain of the handwriting.
When accused of lying in her witness statement to cover up the source of the information, Nicholl firmly replied, "I have not lied at all." She also denied intercepting voicemails, stating, "Let me be quite categorical: I have never intercepted voicemails. I have never asked anyone to intercept voicemails ... I can't be any more clear or categorical."
Context of the Case
This case is part of a broader legal action where Frost, Prince Harry, and others accuse ANL of unlawful information gathering. ANL has denied all accusations, calling them lurid and preposterous. Nicholl is a significant figure in the case, as her name appears on many stories that the claimants have complained about.
The story about Frost's ectopic pregnancy was never published, with Nicholl explaining that it was denied by Frost and led to a legal threat after confrontation. The high court proceedings continue as both sides present their arguments in this contentious media ethics dispute.
