Which court decided it?

House of Lords in 2004. Neutral citation: [2004] UKHL 22.

Why does it matter for UK journalists?

Established the two-stage test: (1) reasonable expectation of privacy; (2) balancing exercise between Article 8 and Article 10 ECHR. Photographs published without consent in circumstances of vulnerability engage privacy protection. Public interest can outweigh privacy but the balance is fact-specific.

Campbell v MGN Ltd

[2004] UKHL 22 — House of Lords, 2004

Last reviewed: 14 July 2026Next review due: 14 January 2027

What the court held

The foundational case for the modern UK tort of misuse of private information. Naomi Campbell won damages over the Mirror's photographs of her leaving a Narcotics Anonymous meeting. Extended breach of confidence into a new privacy protection under HRA 1998 s.6.

Key rulings

Established the two-stage test: (1) reasonable expectation of privacy; (2) balancing exercise between Article 8 and Article 10 ECHR.
Photographs published without consent in circumstances of vulnerability engage privacy protection.
Public interest can outweigh privacy but the balance is fact-specific.

Topics

PrivacyPhotographyArticle 8 ECHR

Acts cited

Human Rights Act 1998

Authoritative source

Read the full judgment on BAILII (British and Irish Legal Information Institute):

https://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKHL/2004/22.html

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Case summaries are drafted by UK JournoHub Editorial for practising UK journalists. They are not legal advice. Always consult primary sources and, for high-risk stories, take specialist legal advice.