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| Leveson Inquiry: Tabloid journalists defend paper | Leveson Inquiry: Tabloid journalists defend paper |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Two of the News of the World's most high profile former journalists have mounted strong defences of their work at the Leveson Inquiry. | Two of the News of the World's most high profile former journalists have mounted strong defences of their work at the Leveson Inquiry. |
| Mazher Mahmood, the paper's former investigations editor, said his exposes were "totally justified". | Mazher Mahmood, the paper's former investigations editor, said his exposes were "totally justified". |
| Former chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck said all stories, such as those on David Beckham and Max Mosley, were only published if in the public interest. | Former chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck said all stories, such as those on David Beckham and Max Mosley, were only published if in the public interest. |
| The inquiry is examining the "culture, practices and ethics of the media". | The inquiry is examining the "culture, practices and ethics of the media". |
| Mr Mahmood, who now works for the Sunday Times, is known for his "fake sheikh" disguise while reporting undercover and gave evidence off-camera to protect his identity. | Mr Mahmood, who now works for the Sunday Times, is known for his "fake sheikh" disguise while reporting undercover and gave evidence off-camera to protect his identity. |
| He was behind the NoW story that resulted in three Pakistan Test cricketers and a corrupt sports agent being jailed in November for spot-fixing. | He was behind the NoW 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". | 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 NoW, Mr Mahmood said there was a "regulated" process at both papers. | Describing the process of getting his undercover investigations commissioned at the Sunday Times and the NoW, Mr Mahmood said there was a "regulated" process at both papers. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 'Never entrapped people' | 'Never entrapped people' |
| But Mr Mahmood said that at the Sunday Times the process was "a lot more stringent and more formalised". | 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 assessed on its own merit. | 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 assessed on its own merit. |
| We could hear him. We couldn't see him. There were moments during his testimony when I almost pictured Mazher Mahmood astride a white horse as he talked about his work being a "public duty". | We could hear him. We couldn't see him. There were moments during his testimony when I almost pictured Mazher Mahmood astride a white horse as he talked about his work being a "public duty". |
| It was an unrepentant and robust defence of a type of journalism which has led to more than 260 criminal convictions, including the Pakistani cricketers caught matchfixing. | It was an unrepentant and robust defence of a type of journalism which has led to more than 260 criminal convictions, including the Pakistani cricketers caught matchfixing. |
| What most interested Lord Justice Leveson was where did Mr Mahmood draw the line? And were the "carrots" - meetings in grand hotels, being flown to Dubai etc - a form of entrapment? | What most interested Lord Justice Leveson was where did Mr Mahmood draw the line? And were the "carrots" - meetings in grand hotels, being flown to Dubai etc - a form of entrapment? |
| Mr Mahmood said he wouldn't rob a bank to show banks could be robbed. But he would buy child pornography to expose a paedophile. | Mr Mahmood said he wouldn't rob a bank to show banks could be robbed. But he would buy child pornography to expose a paedophile. |
| He insisted he always wanted to be as accurate as possible. He said at one point, "we try our best". | He insisted he always wanted to be as accurate as possible. He said at one point, "we try our best". |
| The journalist said he had written about 500 stories for the NoW and "a small fraction" involved celebrities, but they "never entrapped people". | The journalist said he had written about 500 stories for the NoW 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 NoW - had been assigned to some of his stories by the newsdesk. | Mr Mahmood said he had never paid or commissioned a private investigator, although Derek Webb - who has carried out surveillance work for the NoW - had been assigned to some of his stories by the newsdesk. |
| The first time Mr Mahmood was aware of phone hacking at the NoW was after the arrest of former royal editor Clive Goodman, he said. | The first time Mr Mahmood was aware of phone hacking at the NoW was after the arrest of former royal editor 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". | 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. | 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." | "We risk our lives on a daily basis .. I live under a constant death threat. That's what motivates me." |
| Phone hacking | Phone hacking |
| Mr Thurlbeck was sacked by News International after being arrested on suspicion of hacking phones while at the paper, something he denies. He is currently on police bail. | Mr Thurlbeck was sacked by News International after being arrested on suspicion of hacking phones while at the paper, something he denies. He is currently on police bail. |
| Lord Leveson said no questions on phone hacking would be asked: "I am determined not to prejudice any criminal inquiry," he said. | Lord Leveson said no questions on phone hacking would be asked: "I am determined not to prejudice any criminal inquiry," he said. |
| Talking about "kiss and tell" stories, Mr Thurlbeck said a person selling a front page story would normally get £15,000. But he said journalists had to go to enormous lengths to satisfy lawyers that stories are true and for every kiss and tell story that made the paper, 10 did not. | Talking about "kiss and tell" stories, Mr Thurlbeck said a person selling a front page story would normally get £15,000. But he said journalists had to go to enormous lengths to satisfy lawyers that stories are true and for every kiss and tell story that made the paper, 10 did not. |
| He said he had lengthy conversations with the paper's former editor Colin Myler about whether stories were in the public interest, and Mr Myler was "fastidious". | He said he had lengthy conversations with the paper's former editor Colin Myler about whether stories were in the public interest, and Mr Myler was "fastidious". |
| When the paper wrote about footballer David Beckham's alleged extramarital affair, it was decided there was huge public interest because "the Beckhams had been using their marriage to endorse products," he said. | When the paper wrote about footballer David Beckham's alleged extramarital affair, it was decided there was huge public interest because "the Beckhams had been using their marriage to endorse products," he said. |
| He had spent five months working on the story - including six weeks in Australia, and five or six weeks in Spain - he said. | He had spent five months working on the story - including six weeks in Australia, and five or six weeks in Spain - he said. |
| Asked by Justice Leveson about how much Mr Beckham's former personal assistant Rebecca Loos was paid for the story, he said "a six figure sum. Just". | Asked by Justice Leveson about how much Mr Beckham's former personal assistant Rebecca Loos was paid for the story, he said "a six figure sum. Just". |
| Nazi orgy | Nazi orgy |
| Talking about a NoW article which falsely said an orgy ex-motorsport head Max Mosley went to was Nazi-themed, Mr Thurlbeck said it was the supposed Nazi connotations which initially persuaded the paper it was in the public interest. | Talking about a NoW article which falsely said an orgy ex-motorsport head Max Mosley went to was Nazi-themed, Mr Thurlbeck said it was the supposed Nazi connotations which initially persuaded the paper it was in the public interest. |
| Mr Mosley won £60,000 in damages from the NoW in 2008 after a judge ruled that its story had invaded his right to privacy. | |
| But defending the story, Mr Thurlbeck said: ''I think we got the facts correct. The facts are indisputable." | |
| Mr Thurlbeck said he had been "proud" to work for the NoW. "My experience of the News of the World is that it was highly professional," he said. | |
| "It was staffed by some of the best journalists in Fleet Street, who worked with great diligence." | |
| 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, which appeared to contradict News International's previous stance that phone hacking at the paper was confined to a single "rogue reporter" - Mr Goodman. | The email, which surfaced in April 2008, contained transcripts of illegally intercepted voicemail messages, which appeared to contradict News International's previous stance that phone hacking at the paper was confined to a single "rogue reporter" - Mr Goodman. |
| 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. |
| Neil Wallis, the News of the World's former executive editor, is now giving evidence. 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. |