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Leveson Inquiry: PCC 'mistake' over Andy Coulson | Leveson Inquiry: PCC 'mistake' over Andy Coulson |
(about 4 hours later) | |
The Press Complaints Commission should have questioned Andy Coulson over phone hacking after it emerged at the News of the World, its former director says. | The Press Complaints Commission should have questioned Andy Coulson over phone hacking after it emerged at the News of the World, its former director says. |
Tim Toulmin conceded at the Leveson Inquiry into press standards that the PCC had taken a "restrictive and timorous" approach over the matter. | Tim Toulmin conceded at the Leveson Inquiry into press standards that the PCC had taken a "restrictive and timorous" approach over the matter. |
He said the the PCC had thought its powers would have "held little traction" with ex-editor Mr Coulson. | He said the the PCC had thought its powers would have "held little traction" with ex-editor Mr Coulson. |
He said he had later accepted that this had been a mistake. | He said he had later accepted that this had been a mistake. |
Mr Toulmin held the post when royal editor Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire were jailed for intercepting royal voicemails at the News of the World in 2007. | Mr Toulmin held the post when royal editor Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire were jailed for intercepting royal voicemails at the News of the World in 2007. |
Mr Coulson resigned as editor in the wake of the scandal, saying he took "ultimate responsibility" for what had happened. | Mr Coulson resigned as editor in the wake of the scandal, saying he took "ultimate responsibility" for what had happened. |
Mr Toulmin said the PCC had discussed whether to ask Mr Coulson questions after his resignation, but concluded that he would not have felt obliged to comply with such a request. | Mr Toulmin said the PCC had discussed whether to ask Mr Coulson questions after his resignation, but concluded that he would not have felt obliged to comply with such a request. |
Instead of investigating what had happened, the PCC had run a "forward-looking exercise", Mr Toulmin said. | Instead of investigating what had happened, the PCC had run a "forward-looking exercise", Mr Toulmin said. |
"I later accepted this was a mistake," he said. | "I later accepted this was a mistake," he said. |
Lord Justice Leveson said it would have been "extremely powerful" if Mr Coulson had refused to speak to the PCC. | Lord Justice Leveson said it would have been "extremely powerful" if Mr Coulson had refused to speak to the PCC. |
Editors admonished | Editors admonished |
Mr Toulmin also said the 2009 report which appeared to dismiss Guardian allegations and clear the News of the World of phone hacking was "obviously wrong". | Mr Toulmin also said the 2009 report which appeared to dismiss Guardian allegations and clear the News of the World of phone hacking was "obviously wrong". |
"The decision to make a qualitative judgment on the evidence dismissing the Guardian's evidence was a major mistake, there's no doubt about that. It's a great regret that happened." | "The decision to make a qualitative judgment on the evidence dismissing the Guardian's evidence was a major mistake, there's no doubt about that. It's a great regret that happened." |
Mr Toulmin said the PCC was a "complaints body" rather than a "regulator". | Mr Toulmin said the PCC was a "complaints body" rather than a "regulator". |
But he expressed "regret" that some people who might have suffered at the hands of the press had never heard of the PCC. | But he expressed "regret" that some people who might have suffered at the hands of the press had never heard of the PCC. |
Mr Toulmin told the inquiry the commission could "react quickly to complainants or to events". | Mr Toulmin told the inquiry the commission could "react quickly to complainants or to events". |
The PCC members did not regard themselves as defending the press, but helping the public remedy problems they had with a free press, he said. | The PCC members did not regard themselves as defending the press, but helping the public remedy problems they had with a free press, he said. |
Lord Justice Leveson asked if it was an error everyone had made in calling the PCC a self-regulating body when it was not a regulator at all, with which Mr Toulmin agreed. | Lord Justice Leveson asked if it was an error everyone had made in calling the PCC a self-regulating body when it was not a regulator at all, with which Mr Toulmin agreed. |
New framework | |
Meanwhile, current chairman Stig Abell said the media could be asked to operate within a contractual framework in future. | |
But he warned: "The bottom line with all of this is that if major players aren't willing to be part of a system then ... even though it creates huge difficulties, something more impositional from the state will take place. | |
He said a new model would create a "more solid, more explicit and more enforceable" set of parameters within which the press could operate. | |
This could work through a "two-pronged" system with one arm addressing complaints quickly and efficiently and the other designed to investigate broader breaches and potentially impose financial penalties, he said. | |
The Leveson Inquiry was set up by Prime Minister David Cameron in July 2011 amid new revelations of phone hacking at the now-defunct News of the World. | The Leveson Inquiry was set up by Prime Minister David Cameron in July 2011 amid new revelations of phone hacking at the now-defunct News of the World. |
The first phase is examining the practices and ethics of the press. A second phase of the inquiry, after a police investigation into phone hacking at the News of the World is complete, will focus on unlawful conduct by the press and the police's initial hacking investigation. | The first phase is examining the practices and ethics of the press. A second phase of the inquiry, after a police investigation into phone hacking at the News of the World is complete, will focus on unlawful conduct by the press and the police's initial hacking investigation. |