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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Leveson Inquiry: Ex-footballer Garry Flitcroft appears | Leveson Inquiry: Ex-footballer Garry Flitcroft appears |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Former footballer Garry Flitcroft has told an inquiry into media ethics of his father's suicide. | |
| Lord Justice Leveson is hearing from alleged victims of media intrusion at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. | Lord Justice Leveson is hearing from alleged victims of media intrusion at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. |
| In 2002, then Blackburn Rovers captain Mr Flitcroft lost a bid to stop the Sunday People naming him in a story alleging he had extra-marital affairs. | In 2002, then Blackburn Rovers captain Mr Flitcroft lost a bid to stop the Sunday People naming him in a story alleging he had extra-marital affairs. |
| Mr Flitcroft said his father stopped watching him play because of chanting at the games and later killed himself. | |
| Elle Macpherson's ex-adviser Mary-Ellen Field earlier told how she was fired over media stories about the model. | Elle Macpherson's ex-adviser Mary-Ellen Field earlier told how she was fired over media stories about the model. |
| Margaret Watson, whose daughter Diane was murdered in 1991, and comedian Steve Coogan are due to give evidence later. | Margaret Watson, whose daughter Diane was murdered in 1991, and comedian Steve Coogan are due to give evidence later. |
| 'I had a wife' | |
| Mr Flitcroft said a woman he had been seeing in 2001 demanded £3,000 for breast-enhancement when he ended their relationship and threatened to take a print-out of text messages he had sent her to his parents. | |
| Mr Flitcroft said an envelope was subsequently sent to his parents and he contacted his lawyer, who said a sports reporter had spoken to him and an article was due to be published in the Sunday People newspaper. Mr Flitcroft applied for an injunction to prevent the article's publication. | |
| "I had a wife and a kid and I've got a very, very close family," he said. "All I could think about was it going in the newspaper and being seen nationally and the effect it would have on her." | |
| He said a second woman with whom he had also had an affair tried to blackmail him into paying £5,000 for her not to go to the media. | |
| The Lord Chief Justice later ruled that the injunction could not be extended and details of Mr Flitcroft's affairs were published. Mr Flitcroft said he was doorstepped just before he told his wife, who was "devastated". They subsequently split up and she still unfairly suffered. | |
| "You Google her on the internet and it comes up about my case," he said. | |
| He said when he was revealed as the footballer behind the injunction, he was besieged by press interest. | |
| "There was at least 20 reporters photographers at my gates. There was a helicopter taking pictures of my house. It seemed like they wanted to make a statement to me to never take on the press again," he said. | |
| "There's no reason why my private life should be in the public interest," Mr Flitcroft added. "If I'd been done for match-fixing or taking cocaine then that's in the public interest." | |
| Footballer's father's suicide | |
| Mr Flitcroft said his father, who had suffered from depression since his twenties, had attended all of his games since he began playing at the age of seven. "I was his life at the end of the day." | |
| But he said his father stopped watching him play immediately after news of his affairs broke "because the chants were so bad". | |
| "Suffering from anxiety and depression you've got to have something in your life and his life was watching me play football." | |
| Mr Flitcroft said six years later his father committed suicide. "I would say over the years his depression got worse because he wasn't watching me play football," he said. | |
| Mr Flitcroft said that although he was in the public eye he should have had the right to a private life. "Even though I did wrong, it was something that me and Karen should have dealt with." | |
| Alcoholism allegations | Alcoholism allegations |
| Ms Field earlier told the inquiry that she and Ms Macpherson had once enjoyed a "thriving business relationship" and that the model shared with her confidences that "you wouldn't normally expect a client to confide about". | |
| She said Ms Macpherson had begun discussing a relationship breakdown with her in October 2003 but swore her to secrecy. | She said Ms Macpherson had begun discussing a relationship breakdown with her in October 2003 but swore her to secrecy. |
| She said "tittle-tattle" about Ms Macpherson started appearing in the media in 2005. Ms Field said her client was concerned about listening devices in her home and had her house swept. | She said "tittle-tattle" about Ms Macpherson started appearing in the media in 2005. Ms Field said her client was concerned about listening devices in her home and had her house swept. |
| Later, Ms Field said that Ms Macpherson suddenly accused her of talking to the press, saying "You've been doing it without my permission." She was contacted by the model's lawyer and said Ms Macpherson started to become "grouchy" with her. | Later, Ms Field said that Ms Macpherson suddenly accused her of talking to the press, saying "You've been doing it without my permission." She was contacted by the model's lawyer and said Ms Macpherson started to become "grouchy" with her. |
| Ms Field said she had not been speaking to the media about Ms Macpherson. "Until this year I'd probably met four journalists in my entire life." | Ms Field said she had not been speaking to the media about Ms Macpherson. "Until this year I'd probably met four journalists in my entire life." |
| Subsequently, Ms Field said she was told she was going to be fired unless she attended a meeting and agreed to go to a rehabilitation centre for alleged alcoholism. Asked if she was in fact alcoholic, she told the inquiry she was not. | Subsequently, Ms Field said she was told she was going to be fired unless she attended a meeting and agreed to go to a rehabilitation centre for alleged alcoholism. Asked if she was in fact alcoholic, she told the inquiry she was not. |
| "Unless I came to this meeting and agreed to do what I was told to do I would be fired. I thought they were all mad." | "Unless I came to this meeting and agreed to do what I was told to do I would be fired. I thought they were all mad." |
| She told the inquiry that Elle Macpherson told her she knew she would never have spoken to the media "were it not for my 'alcoholism'". | She told the inquiry that Elle Macpherson told her she knew she would never have spoken to the media "were it not for my 'alcoholism'". |
| Ms Field said had a disabled child and needed to work. "I know I'm an idiot but I gave in. I went to this horrible place." | Ms Field said had a disabled child and needed to work. "I know I'm an idiot but I gave in. I went to this horrible place." |
| The staff at the centre later told her husband that she was not an alcoholic and that she had been bullied and was stressed, Ms Field said. | The staff at the centre later told her husband that she was not an alcoholic and that she had been bullied and was stressed, Ms Field said. |
| However, when Ms Field returned from rehabilitation Ms Macpherson still fired her from her account, the inquiry heard. | However, when Ms Field returned from rehabilitation Ms Macpherson still fired her from her account, the inquiry heard. |
| On 10 March 2006, Ms Field was made redundant by her employer, Chiltern. | On 10 March 2006, Ms Field was made redundant by her employer, Chiltern. |
| When news broke of phone hacking by private investigator Glenn Mulcaire and former News of the World royal correspondent Clive Goodman, Ms Field said she decided to write to police but received no reply. | When news broke of phone hacking by private investigator Glenn Mulcaire and former News of the World royal correspondent Clive Goodman, Ms Field said she decided to write to police but received no reply. |
| 'Intimidatory tactics' | 'Intimidatory tactics' |
| Today's hearing opened with Metropolitan Police barrister Neil Garnham QC questioning negative media coverage of actor Hugh Grant's appearance at the inquiry on Monday with the Daily Mail's website accusing him of mendacity. | Today's hearing opened with Metropolitan Police barrister Neil Garnham QC questioning negative media coverage of actor Hugh Grant's appearance at the inquiry on Monday with the Daily Mail's website accusing him of mendacity. |
| Lawyer David Sherborne QC also outlined his concerns that other core participants may suffer "the sort of intimidatory tactics we saw in the press this morning". | Lawyer David Sherborne QC also outlined his concerns that other core participants may suffer "the sort of intimidatory tactics we saw in the press this morning". |
| On Monday the inquiry heard from Mr Grant, the parents of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler, celebrity lawyer Graham Shear and writer and campaigner Joan Smith. | On Monday the inquiry heard from Mr Grant, the parents of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler, celebrity lawyer Graham Shear and writer and campaigner Joan Smith. |
| Actress Sienna Miller, Harry Potter author JK Rowling and Gerry McCann - father of missing girl Madeleine McCann - are among others due to give evidence to the inquiry during its first phase. | Actress Sienna Miller, Harry Potter author JK Rowling and Gerry McCann - father of missing girl Madeleine McCann - are among others due to give evidence to the inquiry during its first phase. |
| Prime Minister David Cameron established the inquiry in July after it was revealed that Milly Dowler's voicemail may have been hacked. | Prime Minister David Cameron established the inquiry in July after it was revealed that Milly Dowler's voicemail may have been hacked. |
| Lord Justice Leveson is looking at the "culture, practices and ethics of the media" and whether the self-regulation of the press works. | Lord Justice Leveson is looking at the "culture, practices and ethics of the media" and whether the self-regulation of the press works. |
| A second phase of the inquiry will commence after the conclusion of the police investigation into NoW phone hacking and any resultant prosecutions. It will examine the extent of unlawful conduct by the press and look at the police's initial hacking investigation. | A second phase of the inquiry will commence after the conclusion of the police investigation into NoW phone hacking and any resultant prosecutions. It will examine the extent of unlawful conduct by the press and look at the police's initial hacking investigation. |