THE question of whether the silence of key players jailed in the phone-hacking scandal was bought was raised yesterday after the published letters revealed the extent of payments made to them by News International.
In a letter to the Commons Culture Committee, James Murdoch, the News Corporation chief, explained how the former tabloid’s royal editor, Clive Goodman, in relation to his claim of unfair dismissal, received a year’s salary of £90,502 plus £153,000, including £13,000 in legal fees. It was also disclosed how Glenn Mulcaire, the private detective hired by the News of the World, had legal fees totalling £246,000 paid by News International – after his guilty plea.
After Mr Murdoch’s appearance before the committee last month, the company announced it would no longer pay Mulcaire’s legal fees. Tom Watson, a member of the committee, said: “We need to get to the facts of the payments to people who left the company either for gross negligence or because they went to jail and was their silence bought?”
The committee has also called on Colin Myler, the News of the World’s former editor, and Tom Crone, its ex-legal director, to give evidence after they claimed James Murdoch was aware of the key “for Neville email” which suggested phone-hacking at the paper was widespread.
In correspondence released yesterday, the News Corporation chief again insisted he had “no recollection” of being told about the email.
They are due to give evidence on September 6.
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