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| Kate Middleton 'hounded', say MPs | Kate Middleton 'hounded', say MPs |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Prince William's ex-girlfriend Kate Middleton was "hounded" by the paparazzi and the press watchdog took too long to protect her, MPs have said. | Prince William's ex-girlfriend Kate Middleton was "hounded" by the paparazzi and the press watchdog took too long to protect her, MPs have said. |
| In a report on press regulation, the committee said Miss Middleton had been a victim of "persistent harassment". | In a report on press regulation, the committee said Miss Middleton had been a victim of "persistent harassment". |
| It said the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) had been "less than impressive" and should have intervened sooner. | It said the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) had been "less than impressive" and should have intervened sooner. |
| The PCC said it had kept in touch with Miss Middleton's lawyer and would not have intervened without her consent. | The PCC said it had kept in touch with Miss Middleton's lawyer and would not have intervened without her consent. |
| Prince William split with Miss Middleton in April, after six years of intense media pressure since they met at St Andrews University, Fife, in 2001. | Prince William split with Miss Middleton in April, after six years of intense media pressure since they met at St Andrews University, Fife, in 2001. |
| However, there has been recent press speculation the couple are back together and this was further fuelled by Miss Middleton's presence at the Concert for Diana at Wembley earlier this month. | |
| Media scrum | Media scrum |
| Media interest in the couple reached new heights in January, amid mounting speculation they were about to get engaged, when a media scrum formed outside Miss Middleton's home on her 25th birthday. | |
| Days later the PCC circulated a letter from her solicitors, saying Miss Middleton was being harassed and a formal complaint would be made if paparazzi pictures continued to be used. | Days later the PCC circulated a letter from her solicitors, saying Miss Middleton was being harassed and a formal complaint would be made if paparazzi pictures continued to be used. |
| That month police officers were called to a London nightclub to stop photographers getting too close to the couple. | That month police officers were called to a London nightclub to stop photographers getting too close to the couple. |
| In the case of Ms Middleton, harassment was evident, yet photographs taken by the paparazzi continued to appear in national and regional papers Committee's report | In the case of Ms Middleton, harassment was evident, yet photographs taken by the paparazzi continued to appear in national and regional papers Committee's report |
| And, in April, Miss Middleton settled a harassment complaint over a close-up photograph published by the Daily Mirror. The paper admitted "we got it wrong". | And, in April, Miss Middleton settled a harassment complaint over a close-up photograph published by the Daily Mirror. The paper admitted "we got it wrong". |
| When the settlement was announced the PCC issued a warning over press treatment of Miss Middleton. | When the settlement was announced the PCC issued a warning over press treatment of Miss Middleton. |
| But MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee said the PCC "took too long to act to protect Kate Middleton from clear and persistent harassment". | But MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee said the PCC "took too long to act to protect Kate Middleton from clear and persistent harassment". |
| Code 'breached' | Code 'breached' |
| The report said: "In the case of Ms Middleton, harassment was evident, yet photographs taken by the paparazzi continued to appear in national and regional papers. We see no plausible public interest defence. | The report said: "In the case of Ms Middleton, harassment was evident, yet photographs taken by the paparazzi continued to appear in national and regional papers. We see no plausible public interest defence. |
| "We conclude that editors, in failing to take care not to use pictures of Kate Middleton obtained through harassment and persistent pursuit, breached... the Code of Practice." | "We conclude that editors, in failing to take care not to use pictures of Kate Middleton obtained through harassment and persistent pursuit, breached... the Code of Practice." |
| It is unfair to criticise us for not acting when we were not being asked to act Tim ToulminPCC director | It is unfair to criticise us for not acting when we were not being asked to act Tim ToulminPCC director |
| But the report said the PCC seems to have waited for a complaint when "it should have intervened sooner". | But the report said the PCC seems to have waited for a complaint when "it should have intervened sooner". |
| The letter from Miss Middleton's solicitors was circulated "long after the worst abuses had occurred," the report said. | The letter from Miss Middleton's solicitors was circulated "long after the worst abuses had occurred," the report said. |
| But the PCC said the committee had been "unfair" in not referring to the conversations it had with Miss Middleton's lawyer during that period. | But the PCC said the committee had been "unfair" in not referring to the conversations it had with Miss Middleton's lawyer during that period. |
| 'Recent lapses' | 'Recent lapses' |
| PCC director Tim Toulmin said it was up to the lawyer to decide when they wanted a letter to be circulated. "It is unfair to criticise us for not acting when we were not being asked to act," he said. | PCC director Tim Toulmin said it was up to the lawyer to decide when they wanted a letter to be circulated. "It is unfair to criticise us for not acting when we were not being asked to act," he said. |
| "But they paid us a backhanded compliment by recognising that we are effective when we do act." | "But they paid us a backhanded compliment by recognising that we are effective when we do act." |
| The committee concluded that press self-regulation should continue, but highlighted the Middleton case as one of several "recent lapses in standards". | The committee concluded that press self-regulation should continue, but highlighted the Middleton case as one of several "recent lapses in standards". |
| These also included News of the World reporter Clive Goodman being jailed for illegally accessing voicemail messages from phones belonging to members of the Royal household. | These also included News of the World reporter Clive Goodman being jailed for illegally accessing voicemail messages from phones belonging to members of the Royal household. |
| But the select committee says the current system of self-regulation should continue and was "infinitely preferable to the alternatives". | But the select committee says the current system of self-regulation should continue and was "infinitely preferable to the alternatives". |
| 'Intolerable' harassment | 'Intolerable' harassment |
| Committee chairman John Whittingdale said the PCC and editors should be vigilant in ensuring all journalists were "abiding by both the spirit and the letter of the code." | Committee chairman John Whittingdale said the PCC and editors should be vigilant in ensuring all journalists were "abiding by both the spirit and the letter of the code." |
| He told BBC Breakfast that Ms Middleton had been subjected to "really intolerable harassment". | He told BBC Breakfast that Ms Middleton had been subjected to "really intolerable harassment". |
| "Particularly one morning on her birthday when she opened her front door to be confronted by a bank of press photographers and TV cameras and was then pursued down the street," he said. | "Particularly one morning on her birthday when she opened her front door to be confronted by a bank of press photographers and TV cameras and was then pursued down the street," he said. |
| "Now that quite clearly is a breach of the Press Complaints Commission code and we are critical of the Press Complaints Commission for not acting sooner to put a stop to it." | "Now that quite clearly is a breach of the Press Complaints Commission code and we are critical of the Press Complaints Commission for not acting sooner to put a stop to it." |
| PCC chairman Sir Christopher Meyer told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it was a "pretty good report overall" because it laid down two landmark judgements coming out "very categorically against" both a privacy law and statutory regulation of the press. | PCC chairman Sir Christopher Meyer told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it was a "pretty good report overall" because it laid down two landmark judgements coming out "very categorically against" both a privacy law and statutory regulation of the press. |
| He said it was "inevitable" the PCC's code would be breached but he wanted to reduce the number to the absolute minimum possible. | He said it was "inevitable" the PCC's code would be breached but he wanted to reduce the number to the absolute minimum possible. |
| "What I want is the highest possible standards based on the code of practice," he said. | "What I want is the highest possible standards based on the code of practice," he said. |