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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Phone hacking: Sir Paul Stephenson defends NoW lunches | Phone hacking: Sir Paul Stephenson defends NoW lunches |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The Metropolitan Police commissioner has defended a dinner with a News of the World executive during the force's first phone-hacking inquiry. | |
| Sir Paul Stephenson met the paper's executive editor Neil Wallis on 1 September 2006, the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) was told. | |
| Sir Paul said he had "no involvement" with the inquiry at the time. | |
| MPA member Caroline Pidgeon said it was "extraordinary" Sir Paul was "wined and dined" when he had 69 press officers. | MPA member Caroline Pidgeon said it was "extraordinary" Sir Paul was "wined and dined" when he had 69 press officers. |
| She said any of them could have met with Mr Wallis, who was arrested on Thursday as part of a new police investigation, and who was hired as a consultant by the Met from October 2009 to September 2010. | |
| 'Satisfied with integrity' | 'Satisfied with integrity' |
| Appearing before an emergency MPA session, Sir Paul was asked about 24 meetings - three-quarters of which were lunches or meals - he had had with representatives from the News of the World. | Appearing before an emergency MPA session, Sir Paul was asked about 24 meetings - three-quarters of which were lunches or meals - he had had with representatives from the News of the World. |
| Sir Paul said it was important to have "appropriate relationships" with the media in order to promote the work of the Met. | Sir Paul said it was important to have "appropriate relationships" with the media in order to promote the work of the Met. |
| But he insisted: "I do not believe on any occasion I have acted inappropriately. | But he insisted: "I do not believe on any occasion I have acted inappropriately. |
| "I am very satisfied with my own integrity but I do accept, in matters such as this we need to acknowledge... that perceptions can be different from the reality." | "I am very satisfied with my own integrity but I do accept, in matters such as this we need to acknowledge... that perceptions can be different from the reality." |
| Ms Pidgeon said it had taken "months and months" of Freedom of Information requests to discover the number of meetings between officers and reporters. | Ms Pidgeon said it had taken "months and months" of Freedom of Information requests to discover the number of meetings between officers and reporters. |
| "It seems to me extraordinary and questionable whether it's appropriate for senior officers to have these dinners." | "It seems to me extraordinary and questionable whether it's appropriate for senior officers to have these dinners." |
| She added: "You have to be whiter than white, and it does not look good that you've had dinners or lunches with News International when an investigation's under way." | She added: "You have to be whiter than white, and it does not look good that you've had dinners or lunches with News International when an investigation's under way." |
| 'Full picture needed' | |
| London's mayor, Boris Johnson, has held "a very frank discussion" with Sir Paul about the employment of Mr Wallis as a consultant, at a cost of £24,000. | |
| Mr Johnson's spokesperson said the forthcoming public inquiry into phone-hacking would examine the arrangement, "not least because the public needs to be reassured that this was not inappropriate". | |
| The Met originally began an inquiry into phone hacking in 2005 after the News of the World published stories about Prince William's health. | The Met originally began an inquiry into phone hacking in 2005 after the News of the World published stories about Prince William's health. |
| Two people - the newspaper's royal correspondent Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire - were jailed as a result of the inquiry. | Two people - the newspaper's royal correspondent Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire - were jailed as a result of the inquiry. |
| The force oversaw a review in 2009 following allegations that reporters paid private investigators to hack into thousands of phones. | The force oversaw a review in 2009 following allegations that reporters paid private investigators to hack into thousands of phones. |
| It decided not to press any charges - but a fresh probe has now begun after claims that hacking was widespread. | It decided not to press any charges - but a fresh probe has now begun after claims that hacking was widespread. |