Leveson inquiry: Independent on Sunday editor defends Coulson story

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/may/10/leveson-inquiry-independent-on-sunday-coulson

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The editor of the Independent on Sunday has robustly defended his decision to publish a story on Andy Coulson's shares in News Corporation after reading the former No 10 spin doctor's confidential evidence to the Leveson inquiry.

But John Mullin apologised for the "trouble" he caused the inquiry after he was effectively summoned by Lord Justice Leveson to explain how Coulson's witness statement was leaked to him.

The paper's story, published last Sunday, 6 May, revealed that Coulson had shares in Rupert Murdoch's media company when he was working as David Cameron's director of communications at Downing Street. Coulson had previously been a News Corp employee, rising to become editor of the News of the World.

Mullin told the inquiry he had been given a printed copy of Coulson's statement to read on Thursday evening and he had read it, but had not retained it or a copy of it.

However, he said he had three other sources for the story and would have been in a position to publish it on Thursday had he been the editor of a daily, not a Sunday, paper. He added that nothing from Coulson's witness statement was used in the story.

Mullin said the witness statement did not come from a core participant or a member of the inquiry team, but he declined to comment further on the source.

Asked why he had bothered to read the statement when he was aware of reporting restrictions, he said he now regretted having done so.

"I think it's human nature if you are a journalist that you would read it. I think in retrospect it would have been much better all round had I not read the statement," said Mullin.

He took issue with Leveson's reasoning that the publication of material disrupted the inquiry.

"The fact that your inquiry is going on shouldn't stop us from doing good, honest journalism," Mullin said.

"With hindsight … there certainly would have been scope for me to have, at least, sought informal guidance from the inquiry. But I would not want that to be taken as acceptance that the decision I made on Saturday night was entirely incorrect," he said. "I do apologise for the trouble this has caused the inquiry."

Leveson said the message might be that it would be "sensible" if journalists did not read witness statements ahead of their being made public on the inquiry website.