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Hacking police round on News International Hacking police round on News International
(about 1 hour later)
Senior Met police officers have accused News International of trying to obstruct the original investigation into phone hacking. News International tried to "thwart" the original inquiry into phone hacking at the News of the World, senior Met police officers have told MPs.
At a hearing, MPs asked former Deputy Assistant Commissioner Peter Clarke why the full extent of hacking at the News of the World was not uncovered. Ex-Deputy Assistant Commissioner Peter Clarke said while probing the claims in 2006, he came across "prevarication and what we now know to be lies".
He told them: "We pursued it as far as we could through the correspondence with the News of the World lawyers." Assistant Commissioner John Yates said the firm "appears to have failed to co-operate" during his review of the case.
But he said it was a global company with access to the best legal advice. News International closed the paper last week amid outrage over hacking.
He added that his remit during the initial investigation was strictly to look into who had been hacking into the phones of members of the royal household.
Only the "most important" victims of phone hacking had been told about it, he said.
He told MPs he had to weigh up a breach of privacy investigation with counter terrorism investigations, and an exhaustive analysis of the evidence at hand may or may not have made any difference at all.
A police investigation began in 2005, triggered by stories about Prince William's health in the NoW.A police investigation began in 2005, triggered by stories about Prince William's health in the NoW.
Two years later, a reporter and private investigator working for the paper were jailed for phone hacking. It was reported that the pair were considered to have been acting alone, and the investigation ended. In his evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee, Mr Clarke said: "We pursued it as far as we could through the correspondence with the News of the World lawyers."
In 2009, Assistant Commissioner John Yates oversaw a review of the investigation after allegations appeared in the Guardian that NoW reporters had paid private investigators to hack into thousands of phones, many owned by politicians and celebrities. But he added: "This is a major global organisation with access to the best legal advice, in my view deliberately trying to thwart a police investigation."
In other developments:
  • MPs will vote on Wednesday on a Labour motion urging News Corporation boss Rupert Murdoch to withdraw his bid
  • News International's chief executive Rebekah Brooks, chairman James Murdoch and Rupert Murdoch have been asked to appear before the Culture, Media and Sport Committee in the Commons next Tuesday. So far there has been no response
  • Home Secretary Theresa May said she had confidence in Mr Yates, who is facing calls for his resignation
  • Labour leader Ed Miliband has a meeting with the family of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler, whose phone was allegedly hacked, and tells them his "heart goes out" to them. They have called on politicians to "stand up to the press", their solicitor Mark Lewis said
  • The final edition of the News of the World on Sunday sold 3.8 million copies, 1.1 million more than the previous week
Mr Clarke told MPs his remit during the initial investigation was strictly to look into who had been hacking into the phones of members of the royal household.
Only the "most important" victims of phone hacking had been told about it, he said.
He said he had to weigh up a breach of privacy investigation with counter terrorism investigations, and an exhaustive analysis of the evidence at hand may or may not have made any difference at all.
"If at any time News International had offered some meaningful co-operation instead of prevarication and what we now know to be lies, we would not be here today," he said.
In 2007, a reporter and private investigator working for the paper were jailed for phone hacking. It was reported that the pair were considered to have been acting alone, and the investigation, led by former Met assistant commissioner Andy Hayman, ended.
Mr Hayman told the committee: "At the time everything possible that they were able to do, given the resources and the parameters they set, was done and I stand by that...
"What we look like now, it's very lame. I think what's happened is I think we've had more time to do it, more revelations have come out, the News of the World have given us material that we didn't have at the time."
Mr Hayman later went on to become a columnist with the News International title The Times but rejected suggestions that he was in the newspaper group's "back pocket".
He told the committee: "Even if I had that motive or other motives that have been suggested, I had no ability to change the direction of that at all."
Mr Hayman also confirmed he had private dinners with representatives of the News of the World during the phone hacking inquiry, but said they had always been "businesslike" and were in the presence of the Met's head of communications.
In 2009, Assistant Commissioner Yates oversaw a review of the investigation after allegations appeared in the Guardian that NoW reporters had paid private investigators to hack into thousands of phones, many owned by politicians and celebrities.
At the hearing, he admitted it was a "poor" decision not to reopen the inquiry and he regretted not doing enough to protect victims.At the hearing, he admitted it was a "poor" decision not to reopen the inquiry and he regretted not doing enough to protect victims.
But he said: "It is a matter of great concern that, for whatever reason, the News of the World appears to have failed to co-operate in the way that we now know they should have with relevant police inquiries up until January this year.But he said: "It is a matter of great concern that, for whatever reason, the News of the World appears to have failed to co-operate in the way that we now know they should have with relevant police inquiries up until January this year.
"They have only recently supplied information and evidence that would have had a significant impact on the decisions that I took in 2009 had it been provided to us then.""They have only recently supplied information and evidence that would have had a significant impact on the decisions that I took in 2009 had it been provided to us then."
At the start of his evidence, he read from a statement, saying: "I have never lied, all the information provided to this committee and others have been given in good faith."At the start of his evidence, he read from a statement, saying: "I have never lied, all the information provided to this committee and others have been given in good faith."
He said he would not resign over the decision, and told MPs he had not been under pressure from the NoW over issues in his private life.He said he would not resign over the decision, and told MPs he had not been under pressure from the NoW over issues in his private life.
Mr Yates also said he was 99% certain his own mobile was hacked between 2005 and 2006.Mr Yates also said he was 99% certain his own mobile was hacked between 2005 and 2006.
Mr Yates is one of four senior Met officers being questioned by MPs. The last senior officer to appear was Deputy Assistant Commissioner Sue Akers, who is leading a new investigation called Operation Weeting.
Among them is Deputy Assistant Commissioner Sue Akers, who is leading a new investigation called Operation Weeting. Under her lead, detectives are in the process of contacting nearly 4,000 people whose personal details were stored by private investigator Glenn Mulcaire. But Ms Akers told MPs so far only 170 people had been informed that their personal details were in the documentation.
Under her lead, detectives are contacting nearly 4,000 people whose personal details were stored by private investigator Glenn Mulcaire. She confirmed to the committee that the material gathered by police contains 3,870 first and second names. There are 5,000 landline phone numbers and 4,000 mobile phone numbers.
She said senior management at News International were now co-operating with her inquiry.
"I held a meeting at which for the first time two News International executives attended to debate our very different interpretations of the expression full cooperation and subsequent to that meeting I can say that relationships have been much better," she said.
"My team deal certainly weekly if not sometimes daily directly with the executives and we're experiencing an altogether different feel."
The committee hearing opened with questions to former Met Police Commissioner Lord Ian Blair about claims police officers had been paid for information by the News of the World.The committee hearing opened with questions to former Met Police Commissioner Lord Ian Blair about claims police officers had been paid for information by the News of the World.
He said he strongly suspected corruption in the force, but knew of no payments made to police officers.He said he strongly suspected corruption in the force, but knew of no payments made to police officers.
He was also asked about the decision not to reopen an inquiry in 2009. He said: "If material was available at the time that showed 'industrial level hacking' it would have been appropriate to have gone further.He was also asked about the decision not to reopen an inquiry in 2009. He said: "If material was available at the time that showed 'industrial level hacking' it would have been appropriate to have gone further.
"I didn't know and I wouldn't have expected it to have been known further up the organisation.""I didn't know and I wouldn't have expected it to have been known further up the organisation."
'In tears''In tears'
Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has accused News International, owners of the NoW, the Sun and the Sunday Times, of using known criminals to find stories.Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has accused News International, owners of the NoW, the Sun and the Sunday Times, of using known criminals to find stories.
News International said it noted the allegations and would investigate.News International said it noted the allegations and would investigate.
In an exclusive BBC interview, Mr Brown said he was "in tears" when he heard the Sun was to run a story in 2006 revealing that his son, Fraser, had cystic fibrosis.In an exclusive BBC interview, Mr Brown said he was "in tears" when he heard the Sun was to run a story in 2006 revealing that his son, Fraser, had cystic fibrosis.
The then chancellor and his wife, Sarah, had believed only medical staff treating their son had access to the records and now fear they may have been accessed illegally.The then chancellor and his wife, Sarah, had believed only medical staff treating their son had access to the records and now fear they may have been accessed illegally.
News International, though, says the story was obtained through a legitimate source.News International, though, says the story was obtained through a legitimate source.
Mr Brown also said he was "shocked" about allegations that the Sunday Times had used "blagging" to obtain his private financial and property details.Mr Brown also said he was "shocked" about allegations that the Sunday Times had used "blagging" to obtain his private financial and property details.
"I just can't understand this. If I, with all the protection and all the defences and all the security that the chancellor of the exchequer or the prime minister has is so vulnerable to unscrupulous tactics... what about the ordinary citizen?""I just can't understand this. If I, with all the protection and all the defences and all the security that the chancellor of the exchequer or the prime minister has is so vulnerable to unscrupulous tactics... what about the ordinary citizen?"
Responding to his predecessor's interview, Prime Minister David Cameron said his heart went out to Gordon and Sarah Brown.Responding to his predecessor's interview, Prime Minister David Cameron said his heart went out to Gordon and Sarah Brown.
"To have your child's privacy invaded in that way is completely unacceptable and heartbreaking for the family concerned. I am absolutely determined we will not rest until we get to the bottom of these problems.""To have your child's privacy invaded in that way is completely unacceptable and heartbreaking for the family concerned. I am absolutely determined we will not rest until we get to the bottom of these problems."
In other developments:
  • News International's chief executive Rebekah Brooks, chairman James Murdoch and head of the parent company, News Corporation, Rupert Murdoch, have been asked to appear before the Culture, Media and Sport Committee in the Commons next Tuesday. So far there has been no response.
  • Home Secretary Theresa May said she had confidence in Mr Yates, who is facing calls for his resignation
  • Labour leader Ed Miliband has a meeting with the family of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler, whose phone was allegedly hacked, and tells them his "heart goes out" to them. They have called on politicians to "stand up to the press", their solicitor Mark Lewis said
  • The final edition of the News of the World on Sunday sold 3.8 million copies, 1.1 million more than the previous week
  • Evidence has been found suggesting a News of the World reporter tried to buy a phonebook containing numbers of the Royal Family
  • The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall may have also been targets of phone hacking conducted at the News of the World, according to the Guardian
Blagging, or "knowingly or recklessly obtaining or disclosing personal data or information without the consent of the data controller", has been illegal since 1994.Blagging, or "knowingly or recklessly obtaining or disclosing personal data or information without the consent of the data controller", has been illegal since 1994.
The blagging reports related to Mr Brown's concern over alleged attempts by someone, said to be acting for the Sunday Times, who posed as Mr Brown and obtained details of his Abbey National account in January 2000.The blagging reports related to Mr Brown's concern over alleged attempts by someone, said to be acting for the Sunday Times, who posed as Mr Brown and obtained details of his Abbey National account in January 2000.
News International has said it would investigate the claims.News International has said it would investigate the claims.
The judge-led inquiry into phone hacking is expected to look at all illegal methods newspapers may have used in the past to obtain information.The judge-led inquiry into phone hacking is expected to look at all illegal methods newspapers may have used in the past to obtain information.
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