Criminal practices inside the News of the World went far further than phone hacking, it emerged yesterday, as News International finally admitted in the High Court that it also illegally accessed computer emails.
In an hour-long series of humbling and expensive apologies that
potentially passed £10m in damages and legal costs, the admission
of computer hacking opens up a new chapter in the scandal,
threatening the already shredded reputation of Rupert Murdoch's
media empire.
After months of denial and legal obstruction, News International
offered a series of "sincere apologies" for the "damage and
distress" it had caused to the private lives of victims of phone
hacking, blagging and excessive surveillance.
News International's leading counsel, Michael Silverleaf QC,
confirmed that its titles had unlawfully accessed the emails of the
son of the serial killer Harold Shipman and the freelance
journalist Tom Rowland. The scale of the payouts to victims –
including £130,000 to the actor Jude Law and £50,000 to his former
wife Sadie Frost – dominated the hearing before Mr Justice Vos. But
Mark Lewis, the lawyer for the family of murdered teenager Milly
Dowler, described the settlements as "just the tip of the
iceberg".
Another solicitor, Tamsin Allen, who represents a number of the
successful claimants, said that after continually being told by
executives at the NOTW that they were wrong, that there had been no
illegal practices, and that Mr Murdoch's News Group Newspapers
intended to offer an aggressive defence, "we have now discovered a
massive conspiracy involving criminal activity and a cover-up".
In the new settlements, announced in the High Court, a total of
£645,000 was awarded to 15 hacking victims, with "substantial"
damages awarded to three others. News International will be
responsible for the legal costs, which are likely to be six-figure
sums in most of the cases.
Confirmation that email hacking took place backs up the claim
made last April by Sienna Miller that her email account had been
accessed. An out-of-court settlement of £100,000 prevented further
disclosures by the actress. The Independent has previously revealed
that the Metropolitan Police's ongoing investigation into computer
hacking, Operation Tuleta, has uncovered evidence that the former
British intelligence officer Ian Hurst had his emails hacked as
part of a NOTW commission. Eighteen other seized computers are
being investigated by Tuleta officers for further evidence of
illegal email access.
Mr Justice Vos rejected an appeal by Mr Silverleaf to cancel the
trial scheduled for 13 February. NI's counsel said it was "not
necessary for a civil trial of any kind", because it was "ready,
willing and able" to offer "fair and generous" damages to the 10
individuals who have so far not reached an agreement. The
unresolved cases include the actor Steve Coogan, football agent Sky
Andrew, singer Charlotte Church, jockey Kieren Fallon and the
deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, Simon Hughes.
Indicating that News International would now engage in a final
push to avoid any further revelations that could be revealed in
court proceedings, Mr Silverleaf said: "If they [the remaining
cases] are settled, then there can't be a trial."
But Hugh Tomlinson, QC, counsel for the victims, told the court:
"It is anticipated there will be more phone- hacking cases to
come."
Recent evaluations by the Scotland Yard team investigating the
extent of phone hacking at the Sunday tabloid claim there are
potentially 800 victims.
Following revelations last year in which News International was
accused of destroying computers that may have held vital evidence
during an office move, Mr Justice Vos yesterday ordered the company
to search computers that he said may show executives deliberately
tried to destroy evidence. The judge told NI's counsel he had seen
evidence that raised "compelling questions about whether you
concealed, told lies or actively sought to get off scot free".
Although NI has denied the accusations of a corporate cover-up, the
huge settlements were calculated on "the basis of the facts
alleged".
Following the hearing, a number of the claimants offered further
insight into what had happened to them:
* Christopher Shipman said he had been shown and provided with
copies of emails dating from 2004 which had been intercepted by the
detective Glenn Mulcaire, who was regularly commissioned by the
NOTW.
* Lord Prescott claimed News Group Newspapers admitted some
employees requested the methods used by Mulcaire.
* Jude Law said he was "truly appalled" by what the police and
his lawyers had discovered. He said that no aspect of his private
life was safe from intrusion – including the lives of his children
and those who worked for him.
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