Former journalist says colleagues at Mirror Group newspaper hacked phones

David Brown, a former journalist at the national tabloid newspaper The People, has claimed phone hacking was rife among his colleagues and was covered by up senior executives.

Trinity Mirror has been rocked by allegations that hacking of phones was widespread at The People

David Brown said journalists on the Sunday title, owned by the Trinity Mirror, regularly targeted celebrities in an effort to discover their latest partners.

The veteran reporter alleged TV presenters Ulrika Jonsson and Noel Edmonds, as well as soap stars Jessie Wallace and Tina O'Brien, were among victims of phone hacking by the paper in the years up to 2006.

Trinity Mirror, which also owns the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and Daily Record, has always denied any accusations of hacking by its journalists.

In a witness statement intended to be used in evidence at an employment tribunal in 2007, Mr Brown said: “A number of the methods used to pry into individuals' lives were illegal and I have little doubt that if these people knew they had been spied upon, they would take legal action for breach of their right to privacy.

“I was sent to Sweden to doorstep and confront a British man living in Stockholm after being told he had been in mobile phone contact with the TV presenter Ulrika Jonsson on the basis of information being gleaned from her mobile phone.

“This was done by 'screwing' or tapping Ms Jonsson's phone's message bank.”
Mr Brown also claimed that colleagues had hacked the mobile phone of David Beckham's children's nanny Abbie Gibson and discovered the footballer had left angry messages on it.
The newspaper ran a front-page story headlined “Beckham's Hate Calls to Nanny”, with two more pages of details inside.
The People quickly published an apology to the Beckham’s and Trinity Mirror paid the family compensation.
Mr Brown said in his statement, which has since been obtained by Sky News, that “it took the company less than a month to pay David Beckham substantial damages because it knew it could not produce the evidence of tapped mobile phones in any litigation.”
Mr Brown was fired from the People in April 2006 for gross misconduct in relation to allegedly paying for stories due to be published in its sister title the Daily Mirror.
He later claimed unfair dismissal and wrote the statement in 2007 for use in an employment tribunal against Trinity Mirror.
But the statement was never used as the company settled out of court with Mr Brown and he signed a confidential settlement agreement, preventing him from discussing the matter further.
It is understood Trinity Mirror settled with Brown for sum of about £20,000.
The Fleet Street hacking scandal emerged after the arrest of the News Of The World's royal editor Clive Goodman on August 8, 2006.
According to Mr Brown, on the same day a senior human resources figure “contacted executives on Trinity's national titles to tell them that if they were asked by other newspapers or trade publications whether they had used information from 'screwed' mobile phones they should deny it.
“(The) advice indicates that a major media plc was not only allowing its staff to carry out illegal activity by, at best, turning a blind eye to it, but also taking part in an organised cover-up of that activity.”
A spokesman for Trinity Mirror said yesterday: “These are unsubstantiated allegations. All our journalists work within the criminal law and the Press Complaints Commission's Code of Conduct. We have seen no evidence to suggest otherwise.”
News of Mr Brown's allegations come as it emerged that Shaun Russell, the father of hammer attack victim Josie Russell, is to sue News International for allegedly hacking his phone.

Phone hacking victims to face scandal inquiry live on television

Celebrities, crime victims and others who allegedly had their phones hacked could be filmed live if they give evidence to the inquiry into the scandal.

Among those who could be called to give evidence are Sienna Miller, Hugh Grant and JK Rowling

Celebrities, crime victims and others who allegedly had their phones hacked could be filmed live if they give evidence to the inquiry into the scandal.

Lord Justice Leveson yesterday signalled that the evidence sessions in the inquiry could start as early as next month, and said that he plans to have them televised.

Among those who could be called to give evidence are Sienna Miller, the actress, JK Rowling, the writer, Hugh Grant, the actor, and the parents of Madeleine McCann and Milly Dowler.

They are among a series of high-profile figures who have been confirmed as so-called “core participants”, meaning they will play a central role in the year-long inquiry.

The former Formula 1 boss Max Mosley, the former deputy prime minister Lord Prescott, the comedian Steve Coogan and the former footballer Paul Gascoigne are also on the list.

Executives from News International, the owners of the News of the World, the newspaper at the centre of the scandal, will also give evidence, an experience which a lawyer for Rupert Murdoch’s media group suggested could be “daunting” and “stressful”.
Rhodri Davies QC warned that the pressure of the inquiry could affect even those at the “top of their profession”.
Lord Leveson said those who felt “particularly anxious or nervous” could be introduced through their own counsel to get used to talking in court.
“For some, the giving of evidence is indeed a difficult exercise and I will want to make that exercise as easy an experience as possible on the basis that this is not a trial,” he said.
“I am simply looking at a series of issues to obtain a series of recommendations. I am not unmindful of the pressures of giving evidence.”
Mukul Chawla QC, representing Rebekah Brooks, the former News International chief executive, asked if there could be some advance warning of issues that may arise which were of “direct interest” to her.
David Cameron announced the Leveson Inquiry in July in the wake of the hacking scandal. It is expected to produce a report within a year.
However, because a police investigation is ongoing into specific allegations of hacking, the inquiry will first look at the wider issues of press practices and ethics and the media’s relationship with the public, police and politicians.
The first witnesses could be heard by the middle of next month.
In preliminary discussions at the High Court yesterday, Lord Leveson said: “The present thinking is, and I am not committing to this, that we are unable to be likely to start before the second week in November.”
He told the hearing he originally wanted to press for a slightly earlier start, because of the “territory that has to be travelled before next summer”, and said he was keen to “keep the focus” because the findings of the inquiry were likely to generate debate.
“A debate among the media, a debate among the political groups and a reconsideration of the way, perhaps, regulation or self-regulation, whatever comes out, is organised, which everybody is going to want to get on with,” Lord Leveson said. He repeated assurances that the inquiry would be “open, transparent and fair”.
The first part of the inquiry will also include a series of seminars, each chaired by one of the inquiry’s assessors.
The first of those will he held tomorrow and will include brief presentations from figures including Phil Hall, the former News of the World editor, and Alan Rusbridger, editor of The Guardian.
The seminars will also include open discussion from those in attendance, which will include a range of figures from the media and members of parliamentary select committees.

Neville Thurlbeck denies hacking phones while at NoW

 

Neville Thurlbeck is taking his former employers to an employment tribunal for unfair dismissal

Former News of the World chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck has issued a statement insisting that he took "no part" in phone hacking.

Mr Thurlbeck, arrested in April by detectives investigating phone hacking at the now-closed newspaper, was sacked earlier this month.
He has lodged employment tribunal papers against his former employers.
And he said he would fight his unfair dismissal claim against publisher News International "to the end".
He has recently abandoned an attempt to make his former employer continue to pay his salary while he sues the newspaper.
The former journalist alleges he was unfairly dismissed for whistleblowing.
In a statement issued by his law firm, DWF, he says: "I took no part in the matter which has led to my dismissal after 21 years of service.
"I say this most emphatically and with certainty and confidence that the allegation which led to my dismissal will eventually be shown to be false.
"And those responsible for the action, for which I have been unfairly dismissed, will eventually be revealed."
Mr Thurlbeck, 49, said News International accepted he was not responsible for the matter that led to his dismissal.
And he claimed there was "no valid or reliable evidence" to support its "sudden volte face".
He added: "At the length, truth will out. I await that time with patience, but with a determination to fight my case to the end."

“Start Quote

There is much I could have said publicly to the detriment of News International but so far, have chosen not to do so”

Neville Thurlbeck

 

'Dignified silence'

Mr Thurlbeck's alleged role in the phone-hacking scandal came to light after details emerged of an email sent in June 2005 which was headed "for Neville" and contained transcripts of illegally intercepted voicemail messages.

The email, which surfaced in April 2008, seemed to contradict News International's previous claim that phone hacking at the News of the World was only carried out by a single "rogue reporter".
Mr Thurlbeck also alleges that his former employers withheld the reason for his dismissal from him for nearly a month. He said he eventually found out why he was sacked from Scotland Yard - but did not reveal any details for legal reasons.
Mr Thurlbeck also criticised News International for briefing the press about him.
He called for the publisher to "abandon the unseemly practice of whispering behind the back of a loyal and long-serving former employee".
"There is much I could have said publicly to the detriment of News International but, so far, have chosen not to do so," he said.
"Therefore, let us all retain a dignified silence until we meet face to face in a public tribunal where the issues can be rigorously examined and fairness can eventually prevail."
Mr Thurlbeck has had his police bail extended until March next year.