Mogul admits hacking cover-up but claims he was kept in dark

UK Political Correspondent

Friday 27 April 2012

Rupert Murdoch admitted there had been a cover-up of phone hacking at the News of the World in a second explosive day of testimony yesterday.

EVIDENCE: Rupert Murdoch said sorry for the NoW's actions.

Custom byline text:

KATE DEVLIN UK POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT LEVESON

But the media mogul insisted that he had known nothing about the scandal and that "one or two very strong characters" had shielded him from it.

Although there were occasional flashes of anger from Mr Murdoch, 81, as he gave evidence to the Leveson Inquiry into press standards, he also adopted a humble tone as he apologised for the wrongdoing at the newspaper.

And he claimed he should have shut the now defunct Sunday tabloid years earlier than he did. "I failed," he said. The News Corp boss also admitted that one of his regrets was that he had never sat down with Clive Goodman, the News of the World's royal correspondent sent to jail for phone hacking in 2007. After Mr Goodman left jail he had warned the company he was not, as had been insisted, "a lone rogue reporter". Mr Murdoch said if he had followed up on the warning he might "have torn the place apart".Within hours of Mr Murdoch's evidence finishing he was accused of perpetrating a "shameful lie" for suggesting that a "clever lawyer" was behind the cover-up.The News of the World's former legal manager Tom Crone issued a stinging rebuke saying that the statement could only have referred to him. He was not responsible for any cover-up, Mr Crone said, pointing out last year he had disputed evidence given by Mr Murdoch's son, James, to MPs. Earlier, Mr Murdoch had said the hacking scandal would be "a blot" on his reputation for the rest of his life.The News of the World was closed last summer after accusations it illegally intercepted murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler's voicemails.Mr Murdoch said that attempts to hide the extent of the affair came "from within" the best-selling newspaper. He said: "There were one or two very strong characters there who I think had been there many, many years. The person I am thinking of was a friend of the journalists, drinking pal, and was a clever lawyer and forbade them to go and see the evidence ... this person forbade people to go and report to Mrs Brooks or James [Murdoch]."He added: "I blame one or two people for that, who perhaps I shouldn't name because they may be arrested yet."But there is no question in my mind that maybe even the editor, but certainly behind that, someone took charge of a cover-up."However, he did admit that he had been at fault, saying he should have taken the time to speak to Mr Goodman himself. "I should have thrown all the lawyers out of the place and seen Mr Goodman one-on-one," he said. "And if I had come to the conclusion he was telling the truth, I would have torn the place apart.Mr Crone said that Mr Murdoch "could only" be referring to him.The lawyer went on: "His assertion that I 'took charge of a cover-up' in relation to phone-hacking is a shameful lie.Meanwhile, David Cameron was facing pressure to order an investigation into Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt after it emerged the Leveson Inquiry will not consider allegations he breached ministerial rules. Labour MP Tom Watson said that the Prime Minister had a duty to ensure there had been no impropriety as senior Tories backed a probe. Bernard Jenkin, the Tory chairman of the Commons Public Administration Committee, described revelations Mr Hunt's aide liaised with the Murdoch empire while his boss had the final say on a £8 billion BSkyB takeover as "extraordinary".

Commenting & Moderation

We moderate all comments on HeraldScotland on either a pre-moderated or post-moderated basis. If you're a relatively new user then your comments will be reviewed before publication and if we know you well then your comments will be subject to moderation only if other users or the moderators believe you've broken the rules, which are available here.

Moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours. Please be patient if your posts are not approved instantly.

Mogul admits hacking cover-up but claims he was kept in dark

Commenting & Moderation

MOST READ

SPONSORED LINKS

MOST COMMENTED