UK tabloid group admits it unlawfully gathered info on Harry

Prince Harry scored a victory at the outset of his first phone hacking trial Wednesday with the publisher of the Daily Mirror apologizing for unlawfully gathering information about him in its reporting that warrants some compensation.

The admission was made in court filings outlining Mirror Group Newspapers defense, in which it said it was contesting claims of "historic" voicemail interception and continuing to argue at trial that Harry and three less-well-known celebrities brought their claims beyond a time limit.

But it also admitted that there was "some evidence of the instruction of third parties to engage in other types of UIG (unlawful information gathering) in respect of each of the claimants," which includes the Duke. It said it "warrants compensation" but didn't spell out what form that might take. "MGN unreservedly apologizes for all such instances of UIG, and assures the claimants that such conduct will never be repeated," the court papers said.