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Leveson Inquiry: Hacked Dowlers thought Milly was alive Leveson Inquiry: Hacked Dowlers thought Milly was alive
(40 minutes later)
The mother of murdered Milly Dowler has told the Leveson Inquiry she did not sleep for three days after discovering her daughter's phone was hacked.The mother of murdered Milly Dowler has told the Leveson Inquiry she did not sleep for three days after discovering her daughter's phone was hacked.
Sally Dowler said the intrusion had led her to believe the teenager was alive and checking her messages. Sally Dowler said the hacking by a private detective had given the couple false hope over their missing daughter.
Mrs Dowler and her husband Bob were the first witnesses to appear at the inquiry into the "culture, practices and ethics" of the media. Describing the moment she could access the previously-full voicemail she said: "I just jumped and said: 'She's picked up her voicemails... she's alive'."
Celebrities Hugh Grant, Steve Coogan and JK Rowling are due to appear later. Actor Hugh Grant is due to appear later at the inquiry into media standards.
Mrs Dowler told the inquiry they had phoned the 13-year-old's phone repeatedly in the weeks after she went missing, but the voicemail had become full. Mrs Dowler and her husband Bob were the first witnesses to appear at the inquiry.
She described the moment she was again able to leave messages. She said they had phoned the 13-year-old's phone repeatedly in the weeks after she went missing, but the voicemail had become full.
"I rang her phone and it clicked through on to her voicemail and I just jumped and said: 'She's picked up her voicemails Bob, she's alive'. When we heard about the hacking that was the first thing I thought." Mrs Dowler said when she could access it again after the detective working for the News of the World had hacked the phone number and deleted some messages, "I told my friends, 'she's picked up her voicemail, she's picked up her voicemail'.
She added: "I told my friends, 'she's picked up her voicemail, she's picked up her voicemail'. She added: "When we heard about the hacking that was the first thing I thought."
'Really cross''Really cross'
It was during the trial of their daughter's killer that they were told her phone had been hacked. It was nine years later during the trial of their daughter's killer that they were told by police her phone had been hacked.
Mrs Dowler said: "As soon as I was told it was about phone hacking, literally I didn't sleep for about three nights because you replay everything in your mind and just think, 'oh, that makes sense now, that makes sense'."Mrs Dowler said: "As soon as I was told it was about phone hacking, literally I didn't sleep for about three nights because you replay everything in your mind and just think, 'oh, that makes sense now, that makes sense'."
The couple also described how they were secretly photographed as they privately reconstructed Milly's last walk, seven weeks after she disappeared.The couple also described how they were secretly photographed as they privately reconstructed Milly's last walk, seven weeks after she disappeared.
Mrs Dowler said: "We put out missing leaflets and a telephone number. That number had changed and I was checking to see if the right poster was up and I was touching the posters to see if they were they were the right ones.Mrs Dowler said: "We put out missing leaflets and a telephone number. That number had changed and I was checking to see if the right poster was up and I was touching the posters to see if they were they were the right ones.
"That Sunday, that photo appeared in the News of the World. I remember seeing it and I was really cross. They had obviously taken the photo with some sort of telephoto lens. How on earth did they know we were doing the walk on that day?"That Sunday, that photo appeared in the News of the World. I remember seeing it and I was really cross. They had obviously taken the photo with some sort of telephoto lens. How on earth did they know we were doing the walk on that day?
"It felt like such an intrusion into a really, really private grief moment.""It felt like such an intrusion into a really, really private grief moment."
Mr Dowler was asked what he would say to NoW publisher News International.
He told the inquiry: "We would sincerely hope that News International and other media organisations would look very carefully how they procure, how they obtain information about stories.
"Obviously, the ramifications are far greater than what appears in the press."
Witnesses due
In the coming weeks, the families of crime victims, journalists and lawyers are among the other witnesses expected to describe their experiences of media intrusion.In the coming weeks, the families of crime victims, journalists and lawyers are among the other witnesses expected to describe their experiences of media intrusion.
Prime Minister David Cameron set up the inquiry before Lord Justice Leveson in July in response to revelations that the News of the World hacked 13-year-old Milly's phone. Prime Minister David Cameron set up the inquiry before Lord Justice Leveson in July in response to revelations that the NoW hacked Milly's phone.
'Mentally raped'
Grant is expected to tell the inquiry about how paparazzi have hounded the mother of his baby daughter, who earlier this month gained a High Court injunction prohibiting media harassment of her and her child.Grant is expected to tell the inquiry about how paparazzi have hounded the mother of his baby daughter, who earlier this month gained a High Court injunction prohibiting media harassment of her and her child.
The inquiry is also due to hear from Lawyer Graham Shear, who represents celebrities that have had their phones hacked and who is also a victim himself of the illegal practice, and writer Joan Smith, whose phone was allegedly hacked because of her relationship with MP Denis MacShane. The inquiry is hearing from Lawyer Graham Shear, who represents celebrities that have had their phones hacked and who is also a victim himself of the illegal practice, and from writer Joan Smith, whose phone was allegedly hacked because of her relationship with MP Denis MacShane.
On Tuesday, comedian Coogan, supermodel Elle Macpherson's former business adviser Mary-Ellen Field, former Premiership footballer Garry Flitcroft and Margaret Watson, whose daughter Diane was stabbed to death at her Glasgow school, will give evidence. The first part of the inquiry into the culture, practices and ethics of the media formally began last Monday. The second part, examining the extent of unlawful activities by journalists, will not begin until detectives have completed their work and any prosecutions have concluded.
Gerry McCann, father of missing child Madeleine, and who has described how his wife Kate felt "mentally raped" when the now-defunct News of the World published her highly-personal diary, is due to appear on Wednesday.
Former England footballer Paul Gascoigne's ex-wife Sheryl, journalist Tom Rowland and lawyer Mark Lewis, who represents the Dowlers and other phone-hacking victims and was followed by investigators for the tabloid, will also appear.
Sienna Miller, JK Rowling and Max Mosley will speak on Thursday.
The first part of the inquiry formally began last Monday. The second part, examining the extent of unlawful activities by journalists, will not begin until detectives have completed their work and any prosecutions have concluded.