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Lawyer contradicts Murdoch denials
Source: Agencies |
September 7, 2011, Wednesday
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JAMES Murdoch knew that phone-hacking at News Corp's News of the World went beyond one "rogue" reporter more than three years ago, the company's former chief United Kingdom legal counsel told British lawmakers yesterday, contradicting repeated denials by Murdoch.
A committee investigating allegations that hacking occurred on an industrial scale and was covered up by senior executives was told that Rupert Murdoch's son James had been made aware the practice was more widespread than thought but had failed to take any action.
Lawyer Tom Crone also claimed that News Corp's British newspaper arm had hired freelance journalists to snoop on the private lives of lawyers currently representing hacking victims, casting doubt on the firm's recent apologetic stance.
"I saw one thing in relation to two of the lawyers," he told a parliamentary committee. When asked whether he knew the source of the information, he said: "Freelance journalists employed by News International," referring to News Corp's UK newspaper unit.
News Corp has been engulfed by the phone-hacking scandal since it was revealed in July that the illegal practice extended beyond celebrities and politicians to murder victims, including schoolgirl Milly Dowler, and British war dead.
Crone repeated that he had explained to James Murdoch in 2008 the significance of a key email obtained by a hacking victim, which contained transcripts of intercepted voicemails unrelated to the scapegoated reporter (Clive Goodman) who had already gone to jail.
"This document meant there was a wider News International involvement," Crone told the committee, when asked to explain what he had told Murdoch at a meeting in which Colin Myler, the tabloid's last editor, was also present.
Myler and Crone said the so-called "for Neville" email was the only reason Murdoch had approved a 700,000 pound (US$1.1 million) payout to the victim, soccer executive Gordon Taylor. "Since he gave us the authority we were asking for in the context of what we'd said to him, I would take it that he understood that for the first time he realized the News of The World was involved, and that involvement involved people beyond Clive Goodman and on that basis he authorized the settlement," Crone said.
Murdoch, who took charge of News Corp's European operations in late 2007, has repeatedly said he was not aware at the time of a "for Neville" email or that phone-hacking was widespread. He has given evidence to the committee and may be recalled.
Since the scandal erupted, the company has shut down the 168-year-old News of the World.
A committee investigating allegations that hacking occurred on an industrial scale and was covered up by senior executives was told that Rupert Murdoch's son James had been made aware the practice was more widespread than thought but had failed to take any action.
Lawyer Tom Crone also claimed that News Corp's British newspaper arm had hired freelance journalists to snoop on the private lives of lawyers currently representing hacking victims, casting doubt on the firm's recent apologetic stance.
"I saw one thing in relation to two of the lawyers," he told a parliamentary committee. When asked whether he knew the source of the information, he said: "Freelance journalists employed by News International," referring to News Corp's UK newspaper unit.
News Corp has been engulfed by the phone-hacking scandal since it was revealed in July that the illegal practice extended beyond celebrities and politicians to murder victims, including schoolgirl Milly Dowler, and British war dead.
Crone repeated that he had explained to James Murdoch in 2008 the significance of a key email obtained by a hacking victim, which contained transcripts of intercepted voicemails unrelated to the scapegoated reporter (Clive Goodman) who had already gone to jail.
"This document meant there was a wider News International involvement," Crone told the committee, when asked to explain what he had told Murdoch at a meeting in which Colin Myler, the tabloid's last editor, was also present.
Myler and Crone said the so-called "for Neville" email was the only reason Murdoch had approved a 700,000 pound (US$1.1 million) payout to the victim, soccer executive Gordon Taylor. "Since he gave us the authority we were asking for in the context of what we'd said to him, I would take it that he understood that for the first time he realized the News of The World was involved, and that involvement involved people beyond Clive Goodman and on that basis he authorized the settlement," Crone said.
Murdoch, who took charge of News Corp's European operations in late 2007, has repeatedly said he was not aware at the time of a "for Neville" email or that phone-hacking was widespread. He has given evidence to the committee and may be recalled.
Since the scandal erupted, the company has shut down the 168-year-old News of the World.
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