Campbell v MGN Ltd
[2004] UKHL 22 — House of Lords, 2004
Last reviewed: Next review due:
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
Related cases (citator)
How this case connects to others in the landmark set — lines of authority, statutory supersession, and companion rulings.
- Mosley v News Group Newspapers Ltd [2008] EWHC 1777 (QB)
Developed the misuse-of-private-information action established here.
- PJS v News Group Newspapers Ltd [2016] UKSC 26
Applied the Campbell balancing of Articles 8 and 10.
- ZXC v Bloomberg LP [2022] UKSC 5
Extended the Campbell privacy framework to pre-charge suspects.
- Murray v Express Newspapers plc [2008] EWCA Civ 446
Applied Campbell to the privacy of a child photographed in public.
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.htmlRelated landmark cases
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.