Paul Dacre

Paul Dacre is the former editor of the Daily Mail, having held the position from 1992 to 2018. He is currently newsworthy due to allegations that journalists at the Daily Mail, under his leadership, engaged in unlawful information gathering techniques. These allegations have surfaced in a high court case brought by Doreen Lawrence, the mother of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence, and six other claimants. Lawrence testified that she felt betrayed by the Daily Mail, given her trust in the publication's coverage of her son's case. Dacre himself has described the allegations as "bitterly wounding" and "grave and sometimes preposterous". The case also involves testimony from a private investigator, Steve Whittamore, who claims the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday were his "best customers" even after his conviction for illegally obtaining secret information. This case is significant as it raises questions about journalistic ethics and the potential use of illegal methods by a major news organization during Dacre's tenure.