News of the World managing editor 'appalled' at phone-hacking allegations
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Version 0 of 1. The former managing editor of the News of the World told police he was "utterly appalled" at allegations that he knew about phone hacking or bribery at the paper when he was arrested in 2011, the Old Bailey has heard. Stuart Kuttner, 73, told police he had been involved in the paper for 29 years and had never been involved in any unlawful activity. "I have never knowingly bribed a policeman which appears to be among your allegations. I have never knowingly played any part whatsoever in the hacking or bugging of anybody's telephone and I'm very shocked at the events of today but I'm here to answer your questions and will continue to do so," he told the interviewing officer, Detective Constable Andrea Fletcher, on 2 August 2011. The transcript of the interview was read in its entirety to the jury on Tuesday at the Old Bailey, where Kuttner is on trial for conspiracy to intercept the voicemail messages of politicians, celebrities and others, a charge which he denies. "I will say now I am also utterly appalled at the allegations made against me personally, I spent 29 years at the NoW and much other time in Fleet Street involved in committees that set standards. I worked with Lord Wakeham after the death of the Princess of Wales on improving the standards that the paparazzi might work under," he told police. Asked by Fletcher who took responsibility for any potential illegal newsgathering at the paper, he answered that a person who had "knowingly ... done something which is unlawful" was responsible. Kuttner was asked to tell police what he knew of the three emails that were passed to the Metropolitan police by News of the World publisher News International that led to the launch of Operating Weeting, the investigation into allegations of phone hacking, in January 2011. He replied: "I have no information about them." Fletcher went through Kuttner's role as managing editor in detail, asking him whether he preferred his previous role as a journalist. "You mean, what's inscribed in my heart? I think the word 'reporter' is inscribed in my heart," he said. He said he was not in the "chain of command" which was headed by the editor, explaining the relationship with the managing editor was a "sideways" one. He also told police he was not a fan of email and was one of the last in the company to get an email address and only learned how to remotely access his emails was when he got a BlackBerry. The trial continues. Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |