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'Hundreds' of royal calls tapped 'Hundreds' of royal calls tapped
(20 minutes later)
The News of the World's royal editor tapped into several hundred voicemail messages on the phones of Royal Family aides, a court has heard. The News of the World's royal editor tapped into several hundred voicemail messages on the phones of aides to the Royal Family, the Old Bailey has heard.
Clive Goodman, 49, is to be sentenced at the Old Bailey after pleading guilty to plotting to intercept the messages. Clive Goodman, 49, of Putney, London, and a private investigator are to be sentenced after pleading guilty to plotting to intercept the messages.
Private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, 36, will also be sentenced for the same charge as well as intercepting five other mobile phone messages. Glenn Mulcaire, 36, of Sutton, Surrey, will also be sentenced for intercepting five other mobile phone messages.
The pair acted for "profit and personal gain", the prosecution said. The pair had acted for "profit and personal gain", the prosecution said.
The defendants... were fishing in the voicemail boxes to see whether there might be information of interest to them Prosecutor David Perry QC
Their conduct amounted to "gross invasion of privacy and the abuse of the public telephone system", prosecutor David Perry QC added.Their conduct amounted to "gross invasion of privacy and the abuse of the public telephone system", prosecutor David Perry QC added.
He said the pair had used mobile phone numbers and secret codes used by network operators to hack into the voicemails.He said the pair had used mobile phone numbers and secret codes used by network operators to hack into the voicemails.
"The defendants... were fishing in the voicemail boxes to see whether there might be information of interest to them," Mr Perry added.
Police were called in after Prince Charles's household became suspicious.Police were called in after Prince Charles's household became suspicious.
Suspicions arousedSuspicions aroused
Both men pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to conspiracy to intercept telephone calls "without lawful authority" between 1 November 2005 and 9 August 2006.Both men pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to conspiracy to intercept telephone calls "without lawful authority" between 1 November 2005 and 9 August 2006.
Mulcaire intercepted messages for model Elle MacphersonMulcaire intercepted messages for model Elle Macpherson
The charge relates to messages left for Prince Charles's communication secretary Paddy Harveson, his aide, Helen Asprey, and Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, private secretary to Prince William and Harry. The charge relates to messages left for Prince Charles's communication secretary Paddy Harverson, his aide, Helen Asprey, and Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, private secretary to Princes William and Harry.
An investigation was sparked after Prince William became suspicious over a November 2005 News of the World article about his knee injury. The investigation was originally sparked after Prince William became suspicious about a November 2005 News of the World article concerning his knee injury.
After the article was published, he began to fear voicemail messages to his aides were being intercepted.After the article was published, he began to fear voicemail messages to his aides were being intercepted.
Of 609 calls made to access the voice messages on the mobile phones of Mr Harverson, Ms Asprey and Mr Lowther-Pinkerton, 478 were made by Goodman and 122 by Mulcaire, Mr Perry said.
All three realised something was wrong in December 2005 when their new messages were being shown as old, Mr Perry added.
Former professional footballer Mulcaire has also admitted five charges of intercepting mobile phone messages for supermodel Elle Macpherson, publicist Max Clifford, MP Simon Hughes, football agent Skylet Andrew and the Professional Footballers' Association's Gordon Taylor.Former professional footballer Mulcaire has also admitted five charges of intercepting mobile phone messages for supermodel Elle Macpherson, publicist Max Clifford, MP Simon Hughes, football agent Skylet Andrew and the Professional Footballers' Association's Gordon Taylor.
"The inference to be drawn is that he was also motivated by profit, seeking confidential information with a view to selling it to the press," Mr Perry said."The inference to be drawn is that he was also motivated by profit, seeking confidential information with a view to selling it to the press," Mr Perry said.