During his testimony, Scobie revealed that he had become aware of "immoral" phone hacking practices at Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) while he was working there. In 2002, he had done work experience at The Mirror when Piers Morgan was the editor. Scobie asserted that he had never engaged in the act of listening to private voicemails or socialized with Prince Harry.
Scobie recounted an incident where Morgan had inquired about a story involving Kylie Minogue and her then-boyfriend, which was sourced from voicemails. This revelation had surprised Scobie at the time and left a lasting impression on him due to its apparent immorality. However, he could not recall whom Morgan was speaking to during that conversation.
The court also questioned Scobie regarding his relationship with Prince Harry and whether he had a vested interest in portraying the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in a positive light to advance his career. Scobie denied having a personal relationship with the couple and clarified that he received press releases from their team cautiously to avoid being associated with negative media coverage.
Furthermore, Scobie confirmed that his involvement in the unauthorized activities related to phone hacking during his work experience at the Sunday People newspaper was limited. A journalist had provided him with a shortlist of names and numbers to target, instructing him to listen to voicemails and take notes if anything interesting was found. Scobie admitted that he did not carry out the task, as he was unsure of its legality and it felt wrong to him.
In response to questions about potential bias in his work, Scobie stated that he had access to diverse sources beyond palace aides, allowing him to provide a comprehensive perspective. He denied having a vested interest in presenting the couple favorably to further his career.
Scobie acknowledged that the treatment of Harry and Meghan in their biography, "Finding Freedom," was indeed favorable but denied any personal sympathies influencing his portrayal of them. He emphasized the deeper insights and unique access to sources that he possessed.
As the hearing continued, Scobie expressed his concern about the negative portrayal of his role in the media and the challenges it posed for him personally. He affirmed that his testimony in court would only exacerbate these difficulties, as he had been labeled as the couple's "mouthpiece" and "cheerleader" by other news outlets.
Throughout the proceedings, Scobie maintained that he did not have a close relationship with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and presented his testimony in the High Court accordingly.
