Douglas and Zeta Jones contend their careers have been damaged

Michael Tugendhat QC was speaking on day 22 of the high-profile case being heard at London's High Court as Zeta Jones and Douglas sue Hello! magazine for publishing unauthorised wedding pictures.

The couple contend their privacy was invaded following the publication of unauthorised shots in Hello! magazine ahead of the official pictures being published in OK!

Mr Tugendhat has been summing up the couple's case that Hello!'s actions caused stress and damage to their careers.

'Cover-up'

He said the owner of Hello!, Eduardo Sanchez, had approved an approach to one of America's best known paparazzi but did not want to know how the pictures were to be obtained.

He went on to say that Hello! executives had since engaged in a deliberate cover-up to hide its payments to the photographers including issuing a false letter to the appeal court and destroying invoices.

The magazine denies any conspiracy but says mistakes had been made.

Zeta Jones and Douglas are suing Hello! for �500,000 for the distress caused by the pictures.

OK! is suing for �1.75m for allegedly damaging its business.