Dubai’s ruler accused of abusing his power as High Court finds that he ordered phone hacking of his ex-wife and her lawyers

Dubai's ruler authorised the phone hacking of his ex-wife and her lawyers during a custody battle over their children, the High Court has found.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, 72, ordered the phone of his sixth wife Princess Haya, 47, to be targeted with sophisticated Pegasus spyware, the court ruled.

Princess Haya fled the UAE for England in 2019 with her children, claiming she was "terrified" of her husband.

Judge Sir Andrew McFarlane said the hack interfered with justice.

He called the hacking findings a "total abuse of trust and indeed an abuse of power to a significant extent".

He went on: "He has harassed and intimidated the mother both before her departure to England and since."

Last year, Sir Andrew found Sheikh Mohammed ordered the abduction of two of his daughters — Sheikha Shamsa, 40, and Sheikha Latifa, 35.

 Sheikh Mohammed denies the allegations