Leveson inquiry into phone hacking: first witnesses

poniedziałek, 21 listopada 2011

Leveson inquiry into phone hacking: first witnesses - profiles

Bob and Sally Dowler, Hugh Grant, writer Joan Smith and Ashley Cole's solicitor Graham Shear were all allegedly targeted

Bob and Sally Dowler

The parents of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler accepted �2m from News International, plus a further �1m personal donation from Rupert Murdoch to charities of their choice, after the Guardian revealed in July that their daughter's phone had been hacked by the News of the World after she went missing in 2002. The news prompted public revulsion at the activities of the title and led directly to its closure. The Dowlers are likely to give powerful testimony about their treatment by the tabloid, which they claim wrote front-page stories based on information gained by accessing Milly's mobile as well as their own. Messages left on Milly's phone were deleted by the paper in order to make way for new ones. David Sherborne QC, who is representing the 51 victims of alleged press intrusion at the Leveson inquiry, told the high court in his opening statement that Sally Dowler felt "euphoric" when she finally got through to her daughter's voicemail after several unsuccessful attempts because she believed it could mean she was still alive.

Hugh Grant

The actor, long the subject of tabloid coverage, has become one of the News of the World's most vociferous critics, working with pressure group Hacked Off to highlight its behaviour and that of the press generally. He is one of dozens of public figures who are suing the paper's former owner News International for breach of privacy. Earlier this month the mother of his newborn baby, Ting Lan Hong, secured an injunction after allegedly being harassed by the media. It emerged last week that she had allegedly been threatened by an anonymous caller while Grant was appearing on the BBC's Question Time to discuss phone hacking. The caller allegedly said she should tell Grant to "shut the fuck up".

Joan Smith

Writer and former partner of Labour MP Denis McShane. Her phone was allegedly hacked in the wake of the death of McShane's daughter with another former partner, Carol Barnes, in a skydiving accident in Australia in 2004.

Graham Shear

A lawyer with over 25 years' experience, Graham Shear has in the past acted for Jude Law, who is separately suing the Sun for alleged interception of voicemails. News International's QC Rhodri Davies last week told the inquiry the paper was disputing Law's claims. Other personalities Shear has worked for include Vanessa Feltz, Ashley Cole and other Premier League footballers.

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