The Prince Harry hacking verdict has exposed lies, concealment and intrusion by parts of the press

Piece by painful piece, the murky truth about the darker corners of the British newspaper industry has been revealed, writes former Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger. But will the prince be thanked for it? Dream on…

The Duke of Sussex gave evidence during the High Court trial of his claim against Mirror Group Newspapers (PA Archive)

You need a strong stomach to read Mr Justice Fancourt’s devastating 386-page judgment, published in the High Court today. It is a nauseating catalogue of intrusion, lies, concealment and dishonesty by the very people we rely on to tell us the truth.

It is, in short, a bleak moment for journalism, a trade already beleaguered, distrusted and economically enfeebled.

In a world of information chaos, we need honest witnesses to shine a light into darkness. Instead of which, piece by painful piece, the murky truth about influential sections of the British newspaper industry has been revealed. And the truth is, they don’t much care about the truth – at least when it comes to themselves.