The phone hacking revelations continued today as a journalist from The People, part of Daily Mirror group Trinity Mirror, claimed that his former colleagues regularly used phone hacking as a way of gaining information for stories.
David Brown, a veteran of the trade, claims that celebrities like Eastenders cast member Jessie Wallace, presenter Noel Edmonds and TV star Ulrika Jonsson's phone messages were tapped into by hacking experts to reveal details of her relationship at the time. The practice was allegedly then covered up by executives at Trinity Mirror under instruction from the company's human resources department.
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Sky News received a leaked witness statement to police which read: "A number of the methods used to pry into individuals' lives were illegal and I have little doubt that if these people knew they had been spied upon, they would take legal action for breach of their right to privacy."
Brown was fired by the company for gross misconduct and was then involved in a legal battle for unfair dismissal. The case was settled for around £20,000.
News International have offered the family of murder victim Milly Dowler £3 million in compensation for their involvement in hacking her phone.
“These are unsubstantiated allegations. All our journalists work within the criminal law and the Press Complaints Commission's Code of Conduct. We have seen no evidence to suggest otherwise.” a spokesman from Trinity Mirror told The Daily Telegraph.
Brown now works in an editorial role for a Westminster-based PR firm. As well as previously working for The People he also wrote for News of the World, The Sun, Daily Express and The London Paper.
Main image: Ulrika Jonsson – Getty images
