The mother of Hugh Grant's baby daughter has told the high court that the media 'made her life unbearable'
Credit: Stefan Rousseau/PAA high court judge has set out his reasons for granting an injunction to the mother of Hugh Grant's daughter.
In a written judgment, Mr Justice Tugendat detailed instances of Ting Lan Hong being hounded by the press which she told the court had made her and her child's life "unbearable".
Hong said that she had been followed while driving, causing her to collide with another car at one point, and forced to endure photographers stationed outside her home.
She also told Tugendhat that, following Grant's appearance on BBC Question Time to talk about phone hacking, she had received anonymous phone calls on her mobile.
"After first ignoring such calls she did answer one. The person calling said: "Tell Hugh Grant to shut the fuck up." The First Claimant [Hong] was terrified she had no idea how anyone had had her telephone number.
"At that time she was seven months pregnant living at home with just her mother. She has since changed her mobile phone number because of calls and text messages she has received from journalists."
Tugendhat granted Hong an injunction against an anonymous defendant "XYZ" and others – "Person or persons responsible for taking photographs of the claimants outside their home and in the street during November".
Hong told the court that she had been tailed by the News of the World as far back as January, citing photographs printed by the defunct tabloid which she recognised as being from the time. She said that she had had no idea she was being followed and photographed at that stage, and had not given her consent to another photograph printed in the newspaper that was taken in April.
Tugendhat's judgment also refers to the Daily Mail, which published stories in early December about Hong and Grant having had a daughter together. Tugendhat said she had received "lots of calls from journalists and she has had voicemail messages and text messages from journalists".
"There have been photographers outside her home every day. At the beginning they would hide themselves, sitting in cars behind newspapers. Since then, they have become more and more over confident and do not seem to care about being seen or about intimidating her."
Grant, who will give evidence at the Leveson inquiry on Monday, first lodged a complaint with the Press Complaints Commission, prompting the regulatory body to issue a warning to editors the same day.
Grant's lawyer, Atkins Thomson, told the court that some journalists and photographers stopped attending at the Hong's house but "a number of them persisted".
Thomson added that Grant had asked the photographers "if there was anything he could do or say to make them leave a new and frightened young mother in peace".
"They said 'show us the baby'. He refused. He asked if they thought it was acceptable for grown men to be harassing and frightening a mother and baby for commercial profit. They shrugged and took more pictures."
Tugendhat ruled: "It is on the basis of this evidence that I was satisfied that it was necessary and proportionate to grant the injunction sought."
Free daily newsletter
If you like our news and feature articles, you can sign up to receive our free daily (Mon-Fri) email newsletter (mobile friendly).
