Phone hacking scandal deepens

[Jan Klimkowski]

Allegations of £30k bribes to coppers in plastic bags...

Channel 4 to broadcast phone hacking whistleblower's last TV interview26/07/2011

Just prior to his recent death, Sean Hoare, a former journalist with the News of the World and a central character in the phone-hacking scandal, was interviewed for a Channel 4 documentary. In Murdoch: The Mogul Who Screwed the News (transmission: 10pm, 27 July on Channel 4) Mr Hoare speaks candidly about his role in the phone hacking scandal and the true extent of the practice at the News of the World, while Brain Paddick reveals details of the extent of police-press relationships, a former NoTW features editor admits to paying the police up to £30,000 for stories, and Murdoch's former butler provides some extraordinary insights into Murdoch's world.


Sean Hoare
When asked by the programme's reporter, Jacques Peretti, about how newspapers secure exclusive interviews with celebrities, Sean Hoare said: Well the process, the process is through maybe phone-hacking or whatever. You can use that as a negotiating tool.... You can say right we've got this, we can cut a deal.... and they know you effectively have got them bang to rights.'

And when asked how commonplace it was: I think people have taken the wrong plot on this, right? This is a regular daily practice. At the end of the day you talk about a produce. It might be a tomato. It might be an apple but you've got to sell it and these people will sell it. You know.'


Brian Paddick
When Ex-Deputy Assistant Commissioner Brian Paddick was asked about News International's pro-Metropolitan Police coverage of the Jean Charles de Menezes' shooting, he replied: Well, as I say, I think there was a positive relationship between the police and News International.'

Brian became more aware of a climate of paranoia at the Met where senior officers found themselves as tabloid targets. Avoiding potentially embarrassing stories led the police into doing deals with the press.

Brian Paddick: A tabloid newspaper gets hold of some information about a senior police officer. They do not want that story to appear in the media and a deal is done. Either through a PR like Max Clifford or maybe through some other means whereby a better story is offered that will sell more newspapers.


Former NOTW features editor Paul McMullan
Jacques Peretti questions Paul McMullan about payments to police officers and McMullan admits to paying up to £30,000 to the police for information.

Paul McMullan: I mean every week you have to create a feature list for the features in the paper so you would ring all your contacts. So I might ring a couple of policemen every Tuesday morning to see what's going on...'

Jacques: And would money be paid?'

Paul McMullen: Yes, I mean, yeah clearly.'

Jacques: So any money that was paid to police officers for a story would go via someone else so that it couldn't be connected to them?'

Paul McMullen: Er yeah all cash yeah.'

Jacques: And how much money?'

Paul McMullen: Um, the most money I've ever paid for a story in cash was £30,000 quid in two Sainsbury's bags, 15 grand in each.'


Notes:

Murdoch: The Mogul Who Screwed the NewsTransmission: 10pm on 27 July on Channel 4
The incredible story of how Rupert Murdoch used celebrity scandal to bankroll his expanding media empire, before scandal ultimately engulfed the News of the World itself. Jacques Peretti talks to everyone from Hugh Grant to Murdoch insiders to find out how the world of celebrities, cops and politicians first cosied up with, and then turned against, the world's most powerful media mogul.