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Sky News admits John Darwin email hack | Sky News admits John Darwin email hack |
(40 minutes later) | |
Sky News has said it illegally hacked emails belonging to members of the public on two separate occasions. | |
The broadcaster said it hacked emails belonging to John Darwin - who faked his own death in a canoe - and his wife Anne. | |
It also revealed it accessed the email accounts of a suspected paedophile and his wife. | |
Sky News said the action was in the public interest and amounted to "responsible journalism". | Sky News said the action was in the public interest and amounted to "responsible journalism". |
It released a statement which said: "Sky News is committed to the highest editorial standards. | It released a statement which said: "Sky News is committed to the highest editorial standards. |
"Like other news organisations, we are acutely aware of the tensions that can arise between the law and responsible investigative journalism. | "Like other news organisations, we are acutely aware of the tensions that can arise between the law and responsible investigative journalism. |
"We stand by these actions as editorially justified and in the public interest." | "We stand by these actions as editorially justified and in the public interest." |
The statement went on: "We do not take such decisions lightly or frequently. | |
"They require finely balanced judgement based on individual circumstances and must always be subjected to the proper editorial controls." | "They require finely balanced judgement based on individual circumstances and must always be subjected to the proper editorial controls." |
John Darwin was reported missing in a canoe in the North Sea in March 2002. | |
His wife Anne collected more than £500,000 in life insurance payouts while he hid in their marital home, allowing their two sons to think he was dead. | |
The pair were found guilty of the deception in 2008. | |
'Extremely sensitive' | |
Sky News said that after accessing their emails, it supplied material to Cleveland police which was "pivotal" to the court case. | |
A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: "Cleveland Police has conducted an initial review into these matters and can confirm that enquiries are ongoing into how the emails were obtained." | |
It is illegal to hack into emails under the Computer Misuse Act. | |
BBC Home Affairs Correspondent Matt Prodger said: "It's extremely sensitive, because Sky News is a subsidiary of BSkyB, which is currently under investigation by Ofcom to see whether it is fit and proper to continue holding a broadcasting licence. | |
"So it is a real blow to yet another part of the Murdoch empire." |