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| Leveson Inquiry: Mazher Mahmood appearing | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Former News of the World investigations editor Mazher Mahmood is giving evidence to the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics and standards. | |
| He is known for his "fake sheikh" disguise while reporting undercover. | He is known for his "fake sheikh" disguise while reporting undercover. |
| Also appearing will be Neville Thurlbeck, the now-closed Sunday tabloid's former chief reporter. | |
| Mr Thurlbeck was sacked by News International after being arrested on suspicion of hacking phones while at the paper, something he denies. | |
| Mr Mahmood, who now works for the Sunday Times, is giving evidence off-camera to protect his identity as an undercover reporter. | |
| He was behind the News of the World story that resulted in three Pakistan Test cricketers and a corrupt sports agent being jailed in November for spot-fixing. | |
| Giving evidence at the inquiry, Mr Mahmood said his work had led to more than 260 "successful criminal prosecutions". | |
| Describing the process of getting his undercover investigations commissioned at the Sunday Times and the News of the World, Mr Mahmood said there was a "regulated" process at both papers. | |
| 'Talk of office' | |
| In essence "they had to fulfil the same criteria" - making sure the source was credible, ensuring the story was in the public interest, and that subterfuge was justified. | |
| But Mr Mahmood said that at the Sunday Times the process was "a lot more stringent and more formalised". | |
| He said there would be three main reasons that would justify doing a story - "if criminality was a factor, there was moral wrongdoing, or hypocrisy", but each case was accessed on its own merit. | |
| The journalist said he had written about 500 stories for the News of the World and "a small fraction" involved celebrities, but they "never entrapped people". | |
| Mr Mahmood said he had never paid or commissioned a private investigator, although Derek Webb - who has carried out surveillance work for the News of the World - had been assigned to some of his stories by the newsdesk. | |
| The first time Mr Mahmood was aware of phone hacking at the News of the World was after the arrest of Clive Goodman, he said. | |
| He went on to say it had then become the talk of the office, and "all the fingers were pointing towards the newsdesk". | |
| Mr Mahmood told the inquiry he was "proud" that he had jailed paedophiles and drug dealers. | |
| "We risk our lives on a daily basis .. I live under a constant death threat. That's what motivates me." | |
| He said on one occasion he had purchased child pornography, that had led to a conviction and it was "ethical". | |
| "The end justifies the means clearly .. Does that mean we go out to rob a bank to show that banks can be robbed? Clearly not," he said. | |
| He added that he took the PPC "very seriously" and no PCC complaint had been upheld against him in the last 20 years. | |
| Phone hacking | |
| Mr Thurlbeck has been in the spotlight since details emerged of a June 2005 email headed "for Neville". | Mr Thurlbeck has been in the spotlight since details emerged of a June 2005 email headed "for Neville". |
| The email, which surfaced in April 2008, contained transcripts of illegally intercepted voicemail messages. | The email, which surfaced in April 2008, contained transcripts of illegally intercepted voicemail messages. |
| It appeared to contradict News International's previous stance that phone hacking at the News of the World was confined to a single "rogue reporter" - royal editor Clive Goodman, who was jailed for the offence. | It appeared to contradict News International's previous stance that phone hacking at the News of the World was confined to a single "rogue reporter" - royal editor Clive Goodman, who was jailed for the offence. |
| Mr Thurlbeck has insisted he played "no part" in the matter that led to his dismissal and has lodged employment tribunal papers against News International. | Mr Thurlbeck has insisted he played "no part" in the matter that led to his dismissal and has lodged employment tribunal papers against News International. |
| Also giving evidence on Monday, at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, will be Neil Wallis, the News of the World's former executive editor. He was arrested in July by the Metropolitan Police's phone-hacking investigation team, known as Operation Weeting. | Also giving evidence on Monday, at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, will be Neil Wallis, the News of the World's former executive editor. He was arrested in July by the Metropolitan Police's phone-hacking investigation team, known as Operation Weeting. |
| It later emerged that Mr Wallis had been paid £24,000 by Scotland Yard to work as a two-day-a-month public relations consultant. His contract was cancelled less than six months before Operation Weeting launched. | It later emerged that Mr Wallis had been paid £24,000 by Scotland Yard to work as a two-day-a-month public relations consultant. His contract was cancelled less than six months before Operation Weeting launched. |
| Both Mr Wallis, who also denies any wrongdoing, and Mr Thurlbeck are currently on police bail and neither man has been charged. | Both Mr Wallis, who also denies any wrongdoing, and Mr Thurlbeck are currently on police bail and neither man has been charged. |
| Lord Justice Leveson's inquiry is looking at the "culture, practices and ethics of the media", and whether self-regulation works. | Lord Justice Leveson's inquiry is looking at the "culture, practices and ethics of the media", and whether self-regulation works. |
| It was set up in the wake of the closure of the News of the World in July, after it had emerged that the phone of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler had been hacked by the paper while she was still missing. | It was set up in the wake of the closure of the News of the World in July, after it had emerged that the phone of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler had been hacked by the paper while she was still missing. |
| A second phase of the inquiry will commence after the conclusion of a police investigation into News of the World 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. |