Is this Armageddon for Murdoch and NewsCorp?

Hacking book: how Murdoch's papers twisted the news to his advantage






Apologies for the two-day postponement of my serialisation of The phone-hacking scandal: journalism on trial.* It was entirely due to the release of the Hillsborough report and, given The Sun's part in that business, this extract could not be more relevant.

It's by Nicholas Jones, a former BBC industrial and political correspondent, who chronicles the relationships between politicians and The Sun, and the police and The Sun...



From the industrial disputes of the early 1980s, on through the governments of Margaret Thatcher, John Major and Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, I experienced at first hand the ease with which compliant politicians and their aides assisted Rupert's Murdoch's newspapers.

In so doing they twisted the news reporting of the day to their mutual advantage, for the twin aims of party political gain and the advancement of his business interests.

Becoming cheerleader for Thatcher's offensive against the trade unions was in all probability the starting point for The Sun's assault on journalistic ethics.

Having seen how the dubious methods of the Murdoch press had helped distort the news coverage of the big industrial disputes of the 1980s, I was not at all surprised to see the same techniques being deployed by The Sun to sustain its trashing of the Labour leader, Neil Kinnock, in the run-up to the 1992 election.

After the newspaper's vilification of Kinnock throughout the campaign Labour had been left with no alternative but to come to terms with the inherent danger for any future leader of the destructive force of The Sun's political reporting.

It was a lesson that the Conservatives would come to understand once editor Kelvin MacKenzie subjected John Major to the treatment previously meted out to Kinnock.

A burgeoning trade in personal information


Extra-marital affairs involving a succession of Conservative ministers provided a rich source of exclusive stories. The Sun and the News of the World shared the spoils as the Major government floundered amid the backlash from his ill-fated "back to basics" campaign and allegations of "Tory sleaze."

As scandal followed scandal the consensus among Westminster correspondents was that no politician was safe from the burgeoning trade in saleable inside information; the cheque book reigned supreme and the going rate escalated.

In the experience of Jack Straw, the former home secretary and justice secretary, the trade in illicit information had become "a fact of life". He had always worked on the basis that in "every police station the local or national press would have a stringer, who was a police officer or member of staff, who they were paying."

On leaving The Sun, MacKenzie rarely held back when defending his 13 years in the editor's chair. He believed readers had benefited from the information which crime reporters obtained through their police contacts, even if money had changed hands.

"I would argue that if a policeman receives a tip fee for revealing a break-in that should have been reported anyway, that's fine." A decade later in his witness statement to Leveson, MacKenzie acknowledged that he did not "spend too much time pondering the ethics of how a story was gained."

Responsibility for the source of the information lay with senior journalists; he was "wholly supportive" of whistle blowing even if The Sun had to "pay money". But he personally had "virtually nothing to do with payments" as only "anything costing more than around £3,000" would have crossed his desk.

MacKenzie could hardly have been any more upfront about the cavalier culture which pervaded the newsroom from 1981 to 1994 when he had responsibility for "corporate governance" on the editorial floor.

These were undoubtedly formative years in The Sun's ascendancy, a period when politicians became increasingly fearful of confronting the newspaper's news-gathering techniques.

Questioning Kelvin MacKenzie over payments


I had expected Robert Jay [counsel to the Leveson inquiry] to inquire about the range of payments; whether some were in cash; the type of information purchased; and the people targeted.

But in the only substantive exchange, when Jay explored the circumstances in which as editor he would 'write a cheque', MacKenzie argued that police officers often passed information to journalists to secure justice and 'publicity is often justice'.

Jay repeated his question: "Were you aware of payments being made to police officers in order to obtain material from them which could form the basis for stories?" MacKenzie replied: "I wasn't but it wouldn't surprise me if they were."

Sue Akers, Scotland Yard's deputy assistant commissioner, told Leveson the Met police had discovered that The Sun had established a network of corrupted officials across public life, including those working in the police, military, health service, prison service etc.

There had been multiple payments to individuals of thousands of pounds and "in one case, over several years, in excess of £80,000, and some public officials placed on retainers."

She described how systems had been created to facilitate the payments and how the journalists must have known their action was unlawful because they paid cash in order to protect those public officials who feared that, if identified, they would lose their jobs and pensions.

She said that payments had been linked to individual reports: "The vast majority of disclosures led to stories which I would describe as salacious gossip rather than anything that could be remotely regarded as in the public interest… they often involve a breach of trust and an invasion into the privacy of the subject."

Akers's statement suggested the culture of paying for illicitly-obtained information was deeply embedded in The Sun's editorial structure. She said the delivery of "regular, frequent and sometimes significant sums of money" had been authorised at "a very senior level."

Her statement reaffirmed my belief that the bribing of police and other officials was so corrosive of the trust in public servants, and so detrimental to journalistic ethics, that its impact was even more pernicious than phone hacking.

Britain's tabloid newspapers had become mired in a bidding war for sensationalism and the Murdoch press, perhaps more than any other group, should take the blame for having helped to foster an expectation on the part of the public that money can be made from the sale of private information, personal records, tip-offs, snatched mobile phone pictures and the like.

Journalists of my generation, who trained on evening and weekly newspapers, were not accustomed to being asked "How much? What's it worth?" whenever they sought interviews or photographs, a routine that is now said to be a commonplace experience for local reporters today.

A daily advertisement in The Sun (and previously in the News of the World) continues to encourage readers to get "big money" for "a celebrity, a scandal, a human interest story, or any other great tip."

Reading between the lines of evidence


In Rebekah Brooks's first witness statement to the inquiry were a series of answers which, when pieced together, helped to explain how the ability of Murdoch's reporters to pay cash to their sources had morphed into the monster of phone hacking.

She set out the procedure she had known during her 10 years as a News International editor for using "external providers of information... not just private investigators but also individual sources."

Senior journalists who had their own sources had access to the payment process; the editor would only get involved when a large one-off cash payment "would break the weekly run rate" for payments which had been determined by the managing editor.

Reading between the lines of this section of Brooks's statement it is clear
there was a well-established procedure which enabled Sun and News of the World journalists to pay cash for unauthorised information.

In his closing argument to the inquiry, David Sherborne, counsel for 50 hacking victims, said the public had witnessed, the unravelling of "possibly the most outrageous and largest criminal malpractice this country's press has even known."

But there was no doubt in my mind an opportunity had been missed by the inquiry. Murdoch should have been held to account for the way his newspapers had monetised the gathering of illicitly-acquired information.

Didn't he understand that that by condoning practices which had encouraged his journalists to pay cash for unauthorised disclosures – from the alleged bribery of police officers and public officials to the interception of voicemails – he had been progressively poisoning the well of British journalism?

On Monday: Media academic Tim Crook on what Britain's "battered and proud working class" has lost by the closure of the News of the World

*The phone hacking scandal: journalism on trial, second and updated edition, edited by Richard Lance Keeble and John Mair, will be published by Abramis on 17 September. Available at a special Media Guardian price of £15 from richard@arimapublishing.co.uk


Posted by
Roy Greenslade Friday 14 September 2012 13.57 BST guardian.co.uk

Though the mogul admitted that the phone-hacking scandal was a 'serious blot' on his reputation, he retains unmatched influence

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• [email=?subject=From the Guardian: 11. Rupert Murdoch&body=I thought you might be interested in this link from the Guardian: 11. Rupert Murdoch - http://gu.com/p/3ab8k/em]Email[/email]
  

• guardian.co.uk, Sunday 16 September 2012 22.40 BST
  

Rupert Murdoch

Job: chairman and chief executive, News Corporation
Age: 81
Industry: broadcasting, publishing, digital media
2011 ranking: 6

Rupert Murdoch has already been through "the most humble day of my life". This year he admitted that the phone-hacking saga was "a serious blot on my reputation" in the second of two days giving evidence before the Leveson inquiry. For the world's most powerful media mogul, the past 12 months have seen him forced to pick up the pieces from the affair.

The 81-year-old has been forced to contemplate the division of News Corporation, with the Sun, the Times and his other newspapers to be spun off from the financial shield provided by the lucrative Fox film and TV business. More remarkably still, Murdoch has agreed to step down as chief executive of the publishing business – although he pledges to remain as chairman – whenever the divorce goes through.

In recognition of how far Murdoch's credibility has been dented, there was no summer party this year in London – it would not be worth risking snubs from politicians by holding a high profile event. He has never before in 11 years been outside the top 10 in the MediaGuardian 100 — but he is still so high because it would be unwise to write the man off, or dismiss the influence he still wields.

Seven months after shutting the News of the World, Murdoch presided over the launch of the Sun on Sunday. Unveiled at a time when the Sun newsroom was reeling from arrests of several staff for allegedly paying bribes to public officials, Murdoch said the red-top was "part of me" and his action helped reinforce the title. A kinder, gentler paper, the 50p title went straight back to number one at the weekend – but its sale of 2.13m at the last count is more than 400,000 copies less than the old News of the World.

Nor is the case that Murdoch is without influence. The Sun began to fire shots across David Cameron's bows in the spring; Murdoch openly flirted with the UK's two principal political mavericks – Boris Johnson, who invited him to the Olympics, and Alex Salmond, who he described as the "most brilliant politician" in the country.

And if there was less overt contact with the prime minister, Murdoch was quick to find another way to get his voice across. He joined Twitter at the turn of the year, has amassed 320,000 followers, and opts for a "take no prisoners" approach to his opinions. But at least that meant better news for David Cameron: no longer "ditherer-in-chief", his rightward reshuffle was "first class", Murdoch tweeted earlier this month.

lisa o'carroll ‏@lisaocarroll

No rest for News International. 53 new claims lodged on phone hacking on Friday including former leader of Labour party, Neil Kinnock

chrissie wrote:lisa o'carroll ‏@lisaocarroll

No rest for News International. 53 new claims lodged on phone hacking on Friday including former leader of Labour party, Neil Kinnock

Chrissie, the Directors of News International have said they are not paying any Legal expenses for ex Staff being charged, I presume that includes Rebekah Brooks. Newscorp recently split the organisation up , there is a possibility that the US will force Murdoch to shut down News Intl because of all this scandal, their Laws about Companies registered in the U.S. but trading elsewhere which prove disreputable are much stricter than ours.

Do me a favour if you remember, I am on holiday tomorrow intil 27th, Rebekah Brooks case is due to be heard on 26th, can you post the info here so I can catch up? Thanks.

I'll do my best Panda. Have a good holiday!

chrissie wrote:I'll do my best Panda. Have a good holiday!

Thanks, I'm not going abroad this time, Jersey.......only 55 minutes on the Plane. Last year I went to New Jersey in the States to spend thanksgiving with my American friends.......17 hrs including the time difference, I was shattered , told my friends it would be my last haul flight. They said, "Oh don't say that, we have bought a Condo in Florida which we will let out but keep Feb. and March for ourselves, we were going to invite you to come stay with us." I said, "well maybe I can imanage one more trip".

http://news.sky.com/story/989600/hacking-brooks-and-coulson-to-face-court


Former News International chief executive Rebecca Brooks has arrived in court for a pre-trial hearing relating to phone hacking by journalists at the News Of The World (NOTW).

Brooks was charged in July with conspiring to intercept communications without lawful authority between October 2000 and August 2006.

Also appearing on the same charge at the Old Bailey will be David Cameron's former communications director and former NOTW editor, Andy Coulson.

Five other NOTW journalists charged with offences relating to phone hacking are also due in court.

They include the defunct paper's chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck, managing editor Stuart Kuttner, news editor Ian Edmonson, assistant news editor Tim Weatherup and news editor Greg Miskiw.

All seven have vigorously denied the allegations.
Andy Coulson Andy Coulson arrives at the Old Bailey

Private investigator Glenn Mulcaire will also appear in court on four charges relating to intercepting voicemail messages belonging to the murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler, Guardian journalist Andrew Gilchrist, television cook Delia Smith and former MP Charles Clarke.

Separately, Brooks is also charged with perverting the course of justice. It is alleged she made attempts to conceal evidence of phone hacking and illegal payments to public officials.

Also charged with the same offence are her husband Charles, her personal assistant Cheryl Carter, and other News International staff including head of security Mark Hannah, chauffeur Paul Edwards, and security guards Lee Sandell and Daryl Jorsling.

Brooks resigned from the NOTW in the wake of the phone-hacking revelations in 2011.

The judge has said there will be no Tweeting from inside the court at today's hearing.

politicshomeuk ‏@politicshomeuk

The date for the trial of Rebekah Brooks has been set for September 2013.

A whole year away!!

http://crimeline.tumblr.com/post/32321953374/rebekah-brooks-and-others-what-can-be-reported


CrimeLine Blog - A look at all things criminal



Rebekah Brooks and others - what can be reported? - IN THE CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURTBETWEENREGINAVREBEKAH BROOKS… http://t.co/Q9fjNzKR@CrimeLineLaw

*
Rebekah Brooks and others - what can be reported?

IN THE CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT

BETWEEN

REGINA
V
REBEKAH BROOKS AND 13 OTHER DEFENDANTS
________________________________________
PRESS REORTING OF HEARING OF 26th SEPTEMBER 2012
________________________________________

The discussions and orders made during this hearing are subject to reporting restrictions but the following matters can be reported:-

At a hearing before Mr. Justice Fulford at the Central Criminal Court on 26th September 2012 the Court gave directions for the management of the two cases before it, namely Operation Sacha (perverting the course of justice) and Operation Weeting (phone hacking).

The names of the defendants, the charges they face, and the fact that those present answered to their names and said nothing else.

The names of the counsel who appeared and of the Judge.

The fact that the proposed trial date is 9th September 2013 and that the timetable for disclosure and other pre-trial steps is designed to achieve that.

The fact that a hearing has been fixed when the cases will be before the court on 12th and 13th December 2012.

The fact that all defendants were bailed.
o September 26, 2012 (11:37 am)

Thanks chrissies, I cought the news clip and couldn't believe it will take a year for the case to be tried. In the meantime there is another appearance in Court for Rebekah concerning perverting the course of justice. I must say Rebekah did not look particularly worried or shame faced, no doubt she will have the best Barrister but Newscorp will not foot the Bill.

Interesting article about how deeply involved Tony Blair was with the Murdochs



Tony Blair Is Godfather To Rupert Murdoch's Daughter



The Huffington Post Jack Mirkinson


First Posted: 09/05/11 08:48 AM ET Updated: 11/05/11 06:12 AM ET






Video , Rupert Murdoch , Tony Blair , Rupert Murdoch Tony Blair , Tony Blair Godfather , Tony Blair Murdoch Daughter , Tony Blair Murdoch Godfather , Tony Blair Rupert Murdoch , Media News

Hacking: 'Likely Victim' List Tops 1,000


A woman leading inquiries into phone and computer hacking, and corrupt payments, is quizzed about their projected £40m cost.


3:21pm UK, Tuesday 04 September 2012



Video: Phone Hacking: MPs Quiz Top Cop
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Sue Akers leads three inquiries

• By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent
  

Police officers investigating phone hacking have identified as many as 1,069 "likely victims".

The figure was revealed as Deputy Assistant Commissioner Sue Akers appeared before the Home Affairs Select Committee.

Inquiries now led by Ms Akers were sparked by voicemail hacking at the now-defunct News Of The World newspaper.

Three investigations have been established. Operation Weeting has been looking at phone hacking, Operation Elveden is still investigating corrupt payments to public officials and Operation Tuleta is focused on computer hacking.

Ms Akers told MPs the escalating cost of the long-running inquiries would reach £40m over four years.

Asked by committee chairman Keith Vaz if the cost to the taxpayer worried her, she said: "It is not a concern to me.

"I think the fact people have been charged in Weeting represents the success of our investigation.
Rebekah Brooks is among those charged under Operation Weeting
"Nobody has been charged yet in Elveden but it is still under consideration."

Eight people, including former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks and Prime Minister David Cameron's former communications chief Andy Coulson, have been charged under Operation Weeting.

Overall, 13 people have been charged in connection with the hacking investigations.

Of the 1,069 "likely victims" of phone hacking, 658 have been contacted by officers, officers have been unable to contact 388, and 23 have not been contacted for "operational reasons".

When pressed as to why the Met would choose not to contact 23 victims, Ms Akers said: "It is very difficult for me to disclose that."

It was the last time she will give evidence to MPs in her current role because she is due to retire this year.

Asked whether there is a glass ceiling preventing more women getting top police jobs, she said: "Sometimes women look at the top and decide they don't want to be there."

Ms Akers said Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stephen Kavanagh will take over her role in the inquiries when she leaves the force

Of the 1,069 "likely victims" of phone hacking, 658 have been contacted by officers, officers have been unable to contact 388, and 23 have not been contacted for "operational reasons".

When pressed as to why the Met would choose not to contact 23 victims, Ms Akers said: "It is very difficult for me to disclose that."

I wonder who the 23 are????

Hacking: Ex-News International Lawyer Held


Tom Crone, who was detained at home, is the 25th person to be arrested under the Met Police's Operation Weeting investigation.


4:05pm UK, Thursday 30 August 2012



Video: Hacking: Ex-News International Lawyer Held
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Former News International legal manager Tom Crone has been arrested by police investigating phone hacking allegations, Sky sources have said.

The 60-year-old was detained at his home in south west London at 6.45am.

He was held on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications and is being questioned at a south London police station.

So far 25 people have been arrested in connection with Operation Weeting, the Metropolitan Police's investigation into allegations of phone hacking.

Sky News home affairs correspondent Mark White said of Tom Crone: "He's an important player in this phone hacking debate because he, along with the News Of The World's former editor Colin Myler, have accused (former News International boss) James Murdoch of a cover-up.

"They said they had warned James Murdoch that phone hacking was much more widespread than just one rogue reporter, which was the defence of the NOTW for some considerable time.

"They said they had told James Murdoch about that much earlier than James Murdoch had said publicly and in fact repeated that at a parliamentary select committee."

Meanwhile, former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Monday over charges linked to Operation Weeting.

She is accused of one general charge of conspiracy to illegally access voicemails, and two others relating to murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler and former union boss Andrew Gilchrist.

Seven other people including David Cameron's former spin doctor Andy Coulson appeared at the same court earlier this month to face phone hacking charges.

Ex-News Of The World editor Coulson is accused, along with ex-managing editor Stuart Kuttner, former news editor Greg Miskiw, former head of news Ian Edmondson, ex-chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck and former reporter James Weatherup.

Private investigator Glenn Mulcaire has also been charged

It looks as if James Murdoch will be proved guilty at the Parliamentary hearing of lying when he said he did not know what was going on.

Panda wrote:Of the 1,069 "likely victims" of phone hacking, 658 have been contacted by officers, officers have been unable to contact 388, and 23 have not been contacted for "operational reasons".

When pressed as to why the Met would choose not to contact 23 victims, Ms Akers said: "It is very difficult for me to disclose that."

I wonder who the 23 are????

I would imagine the 23 in question are those who are perhaps involved in National Security, Panda. Whatever has been hacked from them would never make it into the public domain anyway.

malena stool wrote:

Panda wrote:Of the 1,069 "likely victims" of phone hacking, 658 have been contacted by officers, officers have been unable to contact 388, and 23 have not been contacted for "operational reasons".

When pressed as to why the Met would choose not to contact 23 victims, Ms Akers said: "It is very difficult for me to disclose that."

I wonder who the 23 are????

I would imagine the 23 in question are those who are perhaps involved in National Security, Panda. Whatever has been hacked from them would never make it into the public domain anyway.

Hi malena, I thought they might have been Senior Politicians , but you are probably right, National Security would be considered more important.

Doesn't it make you mad though that it took so long for the matter to come to light and such senior Executives were complicit. I hope they go to Jail, including James Murdoch .

Murdoch TV Role
By Andy Fixmer and Edmund Lee - Sep 21, 2012 2:25 AM GMT+0100

• News Corp. (NWSA) is considering giving Deputy Chief Operating Officer James Murdoch oversight of its U.S. television operations, according to people with knowledge of the situation.
  

Murdoch would oversee the Fox broadcast network and cable channels including FX, said the people, who requested anonymity because the deliberations are private. Peter Rice, chairman and chief executive officer of Fox Networks Group, would report to Murdoch, the people said. A decision hasn’t been made, they said.





Enlarge image

News Corp. Deputy Chief Operating Officer James Murdoch




Peter Foley/Bloomberg

Deputy Chief Operating Officer James Murdoch has been seeking a more defined role at News Corp. after moving to New York from London and stepping down from roles heading the company’s U.K. newspapers and as chairman of British Sky Broadcasting Plc.

Deputy Chief Operating Officer James Murdoch has been seeking a more defined role at News Corp. after moving to New York from London and stepping down from roles heading the company’s U.K. newspapers and as chairman of British Sky Broadcasting Plc. Photographer: Peter Foley/Bloomberg

The 39-year-old son of Chairman and Chief Executive OfficerRupert Murdoch has been seeking a more defined role at News Corp. after moving to New York from London and stepping down from roles heading the company’s U.K. newspapers and as chairman of British Sky Broadcasting Plc. His rise in the corporation stalled amid criticism of his handling of the hacking scandal at the News of the World publication.

“It’s a way to get him back in the game without any regulatory issues,” said Brett Harriss, an analyst at Gabelli & Co. in Rye, New York, who recommends buying the stock. “He’s the heir apparent, he’s not going to be relegated to the sidelines.”

The U.S. cable and television businesses would hand Murdoch much of a portfolio that contributed 41 percent of News Corp.’s revenue in the year ended June 30, and 74 percent of operating income. The Fox News cable channel would remain under Roger Ailes, the people said.

Murdoch was promoted to deputy COO, under President and Chief Operating Officer Chase Carey, in March 2011. The company said in February that he would focus on pay-TV and international television businesses.

‘Ill-Judged’


The New York-based media company has been trying to move past the scandal. Yesterday, U.K. regulators criticized James Murdoch’s response to the hacking, which has led to arrests, resignations and a series of investigations. Ofcom, the U.K. media regulator and competition authority, said in a report that BSkyB, 39 percent owned by News Corp., could keep its broadcast license.

“We consider James Murdoch’s conduct, including his failure to initiate action on his own account on a number of occasions, to be both difficult to comprehend and ill-judged,”Ofcom said.

Murdoch resigned as chairman of News International in February, following revelations of the hacking scandal. In April, he stepped down as chairman of pay-TV company British Sky Broadcasting Group Plc (BSY), amid demands that he resign.

Company Split


News Corp. has announced several management changes since announcing in June plans to split into separate publishing and entertainment businesses. The Financial Times reported yesterday that James Murdoch may gain oversight of television.

In a statement yesterday, News Corp. defended James Murdoch, saying the Ofcom report confirmed there was no evidence of wrongdoing.

“We disagree, however, with certain of the report’s statements about James Murdoch’s prior actions as an executive and director, which are not at all substantiated by evidence,”the company said. The company said he deserves credit for his record at BSkyB during his tenure.

News Corp. competes with Bloomberg LP, owner of Bloomberg News, in providing financial news and information. The company’s Class A shares added 0.6 percent to $25.02 yesterday in New York. They have gained 40 percent this year.

“The U.S. public markets will be extremely disappointed,”said Laura Martin, an Pasadena, California-based analyst at Needham & Co. who recommends buying News Corp. shares. “If his last name wasn’t Murdoch he wouldn’t be considered for this position.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-19787476#TWEET247241

Operation Elveden: Officer in court on leak charge
Det Ch Insp April Casburn leaving Westminster Magistrates' Court (1/10/12) Det Ch Insp April Casburn is the first person to be charged under Operation Elveden

A former counter-terrorism officer has appeared in court accused of leaking information to the News of the World.

Det Ch Insp April Casburn, 53, is charged with misconduct in a public office for allegedly offering details to the now-closed tabloid in 2010.

Ms Casburn is the first person to be charged under Operation Elveden, into alleged corrupt payments to officials.

She was released on unconditional bail until 2 November at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

Ms Casburn, from Hatfield Peverel, Essex, spoke only to confirm her name, address and date of birth during the short hearing. There was no plea.

She will next appear at the Old Bailey for a plea and case management hearing.

Ms Casburn is alleged to have contacted the News of the World in September 2010 and offered to provide it with information.

The officer is former head of Scotland Yard's national terrorist financing investigation unit, working in the Met's specialist operations command. She is currently suspended.

Margaret Davis ‏@MargaretDavisPA

It can now be reported that former Met counter-terror DCI April Casburn is accused of an offence under the Official Secrets Act


Margaret Davis ‏@MargaretDavisPA

DCI Casburn is also accused of misconduct in a public office for allegedly passing info linked to a phone hacking probe to News of the World


lisa o'carroll ‏@lisaocarroll

Breaking: It is alleged that Met's DCI april Casburn gave info on poss phone hacking inquiry in sept 2010 to NoTW and sought money for it

Thanks chrissie......a DCI eh! I think there are more Police officers to come . So we have a corrupt Police force, Corrupt Press and a corrupt Government, isn't it depressing. I forgot to mention Lawyers they are not squeaky clean.

Hacking Trial
By Erik Larson - Sep 26, 2012 4:34 PM GMT+0100



Rebekah Brooks, the former chief executive officer of News Corp. (NWSA)’s British unit, and 13 other people will face the first criminal trial stemming from the company’s tabloid phone-hacking scandal in September 2013.

The group, including Andy Coulson, who edited the News of the World tabloid when the scandal started in 2006, appeared in a London court today to hear the trial date and get their bail extended. Judge Adrian Fulford, who is overseeing the case, scheduled another hearing for Dec. 12 and barred the press from reporting other elements of today’s proceedings.

Brooks and Coulson, the former press chief for U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron, were among those charged this year with either conspiring to intercept the voice mail of celebrities, lawmakers and crime victims, or conspiring to cover up the practice as the police probe intensified last year.

News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch, a friend of Brooks, closed the News of the World in July 2011 to help quell public anger after it emerged journalists accessed messages on a murdered schoolgirl’s mobile phone nearly a decade earlier. The investigation spawned parallel probes of computer hacking and bribery and led to the arrests of more than 80 people, including the unit’s former head of security and its top lawyer.

Brooks, Coulson, former news editor Ian Edmondson and five other people were charged in July with conspiring from 2000 to 2006 to hack the phones of more than 600 people, including U.S. actors Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. If convicted, the charges could result in two-year prison terms.

Obstructing Investigation


Brooks, her husband Charlie Brooks, and her former personal assistant, Cheryl Carter, were among six people charged in May in a related case alleging they sought to obstruct the hacking probe by hiding papers and computers from investigators last year and removing seven boxes of material from the storage archive of News Corp.’s U.K. unit, News International. Though Brooks, 44, had been scheduled to enter a plea at today’s hearing, she didn’t do so.

The other alleged conspirators in the phone-hacking case are the tabloid’s former managing editor Stuart Kuttner, former chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck, former assistant editor Greg Miskiw, former assistant news editor James Weatherup and former private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, who worked for the title.

The group accused of obstructing the probe includes Mark Hanna, the former head of security at the unit, and Brooks’s chauffeur, Paul Edwards. Former security-staff member Lee Sandell was charged separately in that case earlier this month.

Separately, the first charge in the bribery investigation was filed Sept. 24 against a London police detective, April Casburn. She is accused of offering to sell information to the News of the World in September 2010. Brooks and Coulson were also arrested in the bribery investigation last year.

Brooks, who denies the claims, quit as CEO of the unit two days before she was arrested in July 2011.

Hugh Grant and Charlotte Church are campaigning for more regulation of the Press since the Sun and NOTW were guilty of phone hacking. It is feared that the Leveson report will be swept under the Carpet from comments made by Ministers.

Hugh Grant has just been on the Andrew Marr show , his argument is that regulation applies to most jobs and businesses so why does the Press think it is absolved.

Cameron is now on the show and was questioned about this and very cagily said "let's wait and see what Leveson reports and what his suggestions are to ensure this scandal will not be repeated. Then he said " everyone is very aware what the Dowlers suffered, and of course the McCanns"......they weren't hacked !!!!!!!!

Hacking Victims Ask PM For Leveson Assurances


The Prime Minister is facing calls to clarify whether he has ruled out regulation of the press in the wake of the Leveson Inquiry.


1:18pm UK, Sunday 07 October 2012



Video: Hacking Victims Call For New System
Enlarge


Actor Hugh Grant tells Sky News that regulation of the media is required to protect ordinary citizens from press intrusion and to prevent a "media-run state".

Video: Grant: Say No To A Media-Run State



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More than 50 phone hacking victims have urged David Cameron not to reject calls for the media to be independently regulated if the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics suggests it.

They have called for an assurance that the Prime Minister would consider Lord Justice Leveson's recommendations with an open mind and that he had not already decided upon a system of continued self-regulation by the press.

The Hacked Off campaign - which represents the victims of media intrusion - expressed concerns after newspaper reports suggested Mr Cameron was preparing to reject statutory intervention in the regulation of the press, even if it was strongly recommended by Lord Justice Leveson.

The group sent an open letter to PM signed by victims of the 7/7 attacks, members of the Hillsborough Justice Campaign, and celebrities including Hugh Grant, Jude Law and Charlotte Church.

It reads: "It is highly regrettable to us that these articles, and supporting comments from senior Conservative Party figures, have sought to undermine the work of the inquiry and to threaten any recommendations it may make for effective regulation of the industry.

"To remind you once again - you said that the test of the future system of press regulation is not whether it suits the politicians or their friends in the press, but rather the public interest - including the need of members of society to be free from illegal and unethical press practices. Do we have those reassurances?"

Actor Hugh Grant told Sky News why it is important for changes to the regulatory system to protect ordinary citizens.

He said: "What matters is that people like the families of the Hillsborough victims.

"The Watsons, whose son committed suicide because his murdered sister was trashed in the tabloid press, it is people like them who matter.

"You could do whatever you like to me provided those people are protected and the democracy of this country is protected.

"No one wants a state-run media but what we've had to put up with for 40 years is a media-run state."

Hacked Off director Brian Cathcart added: "The victims of press abuse who signed this letter are alarmed that, before Lord Justice Leveson has even had the chance to report, it is reported that his proposals will be rejected.

"It is hard to believe that the Prime Minister, who after all set up the inquiry, could really have taken such a decision.

"The judge has spent a year investigating press culture, ethics and practices. His recommendations, when published, surely deserve to be considered with open minds and with the greatest seriousness?"

Lord Justice Leveson's inquiry was set up by Mr Cameron last year in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal that led to the closure of the News Of The World.

He is expected to announce the findings of his inquiry in the next few weeks.

• Newscorp Directors have already said they will not finance the Legal Fees for those cases in the pipeline, I think the Brooks will get top of the range Q.C.'s , this is probably why he gave her £1 million "severance" pay.
  
• However, if found guilty of perverting the course of justice, that's a 2 yr prison sentence.