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Met chief dined with ex-NoW deputy after meeting Guardian editor Yard chief ate with ex-deputy NoW editor after bid to halt Guardian story
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The then commissioner of the Metropolitan police, Sir Paul Stephenson, had dinner with the former deputy editor of the News of the World hours after trying to persuade the Guardian to drop its investigation into phone hacking, it has emerged. The then commissioner of the Metropolitan police, Sir Paul Stephenson, dined with the former deputy editor of the News of the World hours after trying to persuade the Guardian to drop its investigation into phone hacking, it has emerged.
The Leveson inquiry into press standards was told that Neil Wallis, who was by that time on the payroll of the Met as a public relations adviser, was an "acquaintance" of Stephenson. Wallis was later to be arrested for questioning in connection with the hacking scandal. The Leveson inquiry into press standards was told that Neil Wallis, who was by that time on the payroll of the Met as a public relations adviser, was an acquaintance of Stephenson. Wallis was later to be arrested for questioning in connection with the hacking scandal.
The inquiry heard that Stephenson went on 10 December 2009 to see the Guardian editor, Alan Rusbridger, after being briefed by Asst Commissioner John Yates that there was no new hacking evidence to investigate. Many people believed that the hacking allegations were politically motivated, Stephenson said, although he acknowledged he would have behaved differently had he been properly briefed. The inquiry heard that Stephenson went on 10 December 2009 to see the Guardian editor, Alan Rusbridger, after being briefed by Assistant Commissioner John Yates that there was no new hacking evidence to investigate. Many believed the hacking allegations were politically motivated, Stephenson said, though he acknowledged he would have behaved differently had he been properly briefed.
After failing to dissuade Rusbridger, he went to dine with Wallis, Yates and the Met's public relations chief, Dick Fedorcio. The appointments diary recorded it as a "private dinner", which Stephenson said was held "at a pub/restaurant that I frequented socially". After failing to dissuade Rusbridger, he went to dine with Wallis, Yates and the Met's public relations chief, Dick Fedorcio. The appointments diary recorded it as a private dinner, which Stephenson said was held "at a pub/restaurant that I frequented socially".
The Guardian editor was unaware that Stephenson knew Wallis; that he was planning to dine with him; and that the Met were employing him. Rusbridger subsequently wrote asking for an explanation of why he had not been told of the relationship when the commissioner had expressed his "strong feeling" at the meeting that the Guardian's reporting was "over-egged and incorrect". He never got a reply. The Guardian editor was unaware that Stephenson knew Wallis, that he was planning to dine with him or that the Met was employing him. Rusbridger wrote asking for an explanation as to why he had not been told when the commissioner had expressed his "strong feeling" at the meeting that the Guardian's reporting was "over-egged and incorrect". He never got a reply.
Asked whether he had been trying to persuade Rusbridger to drop the Guardian's coverage, Stephenson told Leveson: "No, I don't think I was." But he agreed: "There was very much a backcloth that this was about politics over substance." Asked if he had been trying to persuade the Guardian to drop its coverage, Stephenson said: "No, I don't think I was." But he agreed: "There was very much a backcloth that this was about politics over substance."
He said: "I was being briefed that there was no good value in expending additional police resources in opening this up." Stephenson, who conceded he had not read the original Guardian articles, told Leveson: "I was only as good as the briefings I got." He said: "I was being briefed that there was no good value in expending additional police resources" on the matter. Stephenson, who conceded he had not read the original Guardian articles, told Leveson: "I was only as good as the briefings I got."
Diary entries disclosed a pattern of socialising with Wallis, similar to the sessions in expensive restaurants held with two other senior officers, Yates and Andy Hayman. Betwen 2006 and 2010, Stephenson had eight meetings with Wallis, in addition to an appearance by Wallis at a Scotland Yard reception for Andy Coulson, the former News of the World editor who had been appointed as David Cameron's media adviser. Diary entries disclosed a pattern of socialising with Wallis similar to the meals in expensive restaurants with two other senior officers, Yates and Andy Hayman.
Restaurants visited included Luciano, in St James's Street, on 23 June 2009, a few days before the Guardian broke its story alleging a News of the World hacking cover-up at a senior level. Stephenson said he knew at the time that Wallis was a friend of Yates who went to football matches with him. Asked by Leveson whether he had not himself become a friend of Wallis, Stephenson said he regarded him more as a "light acquaintance". Between 2006 and 2010 Stephenson had eight meetings with Wallis, who was also at a Scotland Yard reception for Andy Coulson, the former News of the World editor appointed as David Cameron's media adviser.
Restaurants visited included Luciano in St James's Street, on 23 June 2009, a few days before the Guardian broke its story alleging a News of the World hacking cover-up at a senior level.
Stephenson said he knew at the time that Wallis was a friend of Yates who went to football matches with him. Asked by Leveson whether he had not himself become a friend of Wallis, Stephenson said he regarded him more as a "light acquaintance".
Stephenson said he had first been introduced to Wallis as a deputy commissioner fresh from Lancashire at a dinner with Fedorcio on 19 September 2006.Stephenson said he had first been introduced to Wallis as a deputy commissioner fresh from Lancashire at a dinner with Fedorcio on 19 September 2006.
This apparently cordial dinner took place despite a "tense standoff" between the News of the World and police, who had arrested Mulcaire and Goodman, and attempted to search the paper's premises on 8 August. Police have told Leveson the paper's staff were completely unco-operative and officers had feared violence while inside the NoW offices. This apparently cordial dinner took place despite a "tense standoff" between the News of the World and police, who had arrested Mulcaire and Goodman, and attempted to search the paper's premises on 8 August of that year. Police have told Leveson the paper's staff were completely unco-operative and officers had feared violence while inside the NoW offices.
The inquiry has heard that four days before Stephenson's first Wallis encounter, on 15 September 2006, an as yet unnamed senior police officer briefed Rebekah Brooks, the then Sun editor, assuring her that police were not planning to pursue any other News of the World journalists.The inquiry has heard that four days before Stephenson's first Wallis encounter, on 15 September 2006, an as yet unnamed senior police officer briefed Rebekah Brooks, the then Sun editor, assuring her that police were not planning to pursue any other News of the World journalists.