Hacking inquiry – Hacked off

by Brian Cathcart ‘So you’re in favour of the government taking control of newspapers, then?’ Thus Jeremy Paxman to Hugh Grant on Newsnight. And a moment later: ‘But you do want statutory regulation?’ And then again ‘So you would regulate newspapers?’ It is a time-honoured Paxman technique, and no one would argue with his right [...]

The editor in chief of the Daily Mail has returned to the Leveson Inquiry today to answer questions about actor Hugh Grant Paul Dacre was questioned by David Sherborne, counsel for the core participant victims, over a Mail on Sunday article claiming a “plummy-voiced executive” leaving messages on Grant’s phone had caused the breakdown of [...]

The editor in chief of the Daily Mail has defended a statement accusing Hugh Grant of “mendacious smears” against his newspapers. Paul Dacre said Grant had attempted to discredit Associated Newspapers, owners of the Mail and Mail on Sunday, by telling the Leveson Inquiry he believed his phone had been hacked by journalists. Dacre said [...]

Jemima Khan has denied any knowledge of a “plummy-voiced woman” leaving Hugh Grant messages in her written evidence to the Leveson Inquiry. Khan, who dated Grant from 2004 until 2007, categorically denied having been the source of the story about a “plummy-voiced woman” who left messages on Grant’s mobile phone voicemail. The Mail on sunday [...]

A journalist has denied trying to obtain the confidential medical information of celebrities from an undercover filmmaker at the Leveson Inquiry today. Nick Owens, a reporter for the Sunday Mirror, was one of several journalists approached with fake stories and secretly recorded by Chris Atkins for the documentary Starsuckers. He denied asking Atkins to provide proof of [...]

Mr Justice Tugendhat’s judgment granting an order under the Protection from Harassment Act against the photographers, after an application made by Hugh Grant last Friday. Judgment in full