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Sun journalists used ‘fig leaf’ of public interest to justify actions, jury hears Sun journalists used ‘fig leaf’ of public interest to justify actions, jury hears
(35 minutes later)
Six Sun journalists on trial over allegations of paying public officials for stories used the “journalistic fig leaf” of public interest to cover their “naked and venal conduct”, a jury has been told.Six Sun journalists on trial over allegations of paying public officials for stories used the “journalistic fig leaf” of public interest to cover their “naked and venal conduct”, a jury has been told.
They used “wheelbarrows of cash” to entice prison officers and police to sell tips and stories on the “lives and personal tragedies” of the rich and famous and of notorious criminals, prosecutor Peter Wright, QC, said.They used “wheelbarrows of cash” to entice prison officers and police to sell tips and stories on the “lives and personal tragedies” of the rich and famous and of notorious criminals, prosecutor Peter Wright, QC, said.
He told jurors at Kingston crown court on Monday that the culture at the Sun newspaper was one in which “cash was king” and “everything and everyone had a price”, irrespective of their jobs or their duties to the public.He told jurors at Kingston crown court on Monday that the culture at the Sun newspaper was one in which “cash was king” and “everything and everyone had a price”, irrespective of their jobs or their duties to the public.
“The story was all. The end justified the means,” he said.“The story was all. The end justified the means,” he said.
On trial are Chris Pharo, the paper’s head of news, Ben O’Driscoll his former deputy who now works at the Daily Mail, the paper’s managing editor Graham Dudman, its picture editor John Edwards, Thames Valley district reporter Jamie Pyatt and former reporter John Troup, who has left journalism and now works in a butcher’s shop.On trial are Chris Pharo, the paper’s head of news, Ben O’Driscoll his former deputy who now works at the Daily Mail, the paper’s managing editor Graham Dudman, its picture editor John Edwards, Thames Valley district reporter Jamie Pyatt and former reporter John Troup, who has left journalism and now works in a butcher’s shop.
All six have been accused of conspiring to pay public officials for stories, including reports about the Soham murders, celebrities such as Mick Hucknall, prisoners such as the Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe or officers investigating the murder of Milly Dowler.All six have been accused of conspiring to pay public officials for stories, including reports about the Soham murders, celebrities such as Mick Hucknall, prisoners such as the Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe or officers investigating the murder of Milly Dowler.
Closing his case against the six, Wright said O’Driscoll had made a “somewhat rueful observation” during the trial, when he said that in “an ideal world” he would have liked sources “to pass on information voluntarily but they were enticed at the Sun by a large wheelbarrow of cash”.Closing his case against the six, Wright said O’Driscoll had made a “somewhat rueful observation” during the trial, when he said that in “an ideal world” he would have liked sources “to pass on information voluntarily but they were enticed at the Sun by a large wheelbarrow of cash”.
This, Wright asserted, was as “insightful as it was acerbic”.This, Wright asserted, was as “insightful as it was acerbic”.
“It was an observation, we say, that encapsulated all that was wrong at this national newspaper in the period reflected in the indictment,” he said.“It was an observation, we say, that encapsulated all that was wrong at this national newspaper in the period reflected in the indictment,” he said.
He told jurors the paper had a “never-ending fascination with Broadmoor” high-security hospital, which “could be serviced from the goldmine” by a member of staff who was prepared to sell information about some of its notorious inmates.He told jurors the paper had a “never-ending fascination with Broadmoor” high-security hospital, which “could be serviced from the goldmine” by a member of staff who was prepared to sell information about some of its notorious inmates.
“The famous, the not-so-famous, the infamous could be supplied by tipster Bob, by police officers, by PC Quinn, by police officer B,” Wright said in reference to health worker Robert Neave, a former Surrey police officer Simon Quinn and a police officer that cannot be named for legal reasons.“The famous, the not-so-famous, the infamous could be supplied by tipster Bob, by police officers, by PC Quinn, by police officer B,” Wright said in reference to health worker Robert Neave, a former Surrey police officer Simon Quinn and a police officer that cannot be named for legal reasons.
“The lives and personal tragedies could be sold to the most willing buyer for public consumption,” he said.“The lives and personal tragedies could be sold to the most willing buyer for public consumption,” he said.
The prosecution, he said, maintained that the Sun had “a policy of payments to public officials in return for confidential information”.The prosecution, he said, maintained that the Sun had “a policy of payments to public officials in return for confidential information”.
This was evident from the “open way in which public officials were referred to in emails” between staff and in expense claims.This was evident from the “open way in which public officials were referred to in emails” between staff and in expense claims.
He said that when they were caught committing the alleged crimes, the staff had reached for the “journalists’ fig lead … in order to cover what we say was naked and venal conduct.”He said that when they were caught committing the alleged crimes, the staff had reached for the “journalists’ fig lead … in order to cover what we say was naked and venal conduct.”
Turning to each of the defendants, he put it to jurors that Pyatt was not lying about his police contacts in his emails to his bosses because he had “no reason to lie”, as the people with whom he was in communication “were either parties to the agreement or were in the know”.Turning to each of the defendants, he put it to jurors that Pyatt was not lying about his police contacts in his emails to his bosses because he had “no reason to lie”, as the people with whom he was in communication “were either parties to the agreement or were in the know”.
Wright questioned Pharo’s claims that he was merely “pricing the stories” when he approved payments for authorisation further up the hierarchy.Wright questioned Pharo’s claims that he was merely “pricing the stories” when he approved payments for authorisation further up the hierarchy.
The barrister asked jurors if Pharo struck them as a “shy, retiring type” who “found it hard to refuse the requests of his staff”. Was he, Wright asked, “just a cipher, the man who was going through the paperwork, some sort of functionary” or was he “shifting the blame away, higher up the chain to Rebekah Brooks”?The barrister asked jurors if Pharo struck them as a “shy, retiring type” who “found it hard to refuse the requests of his staff”. Was he, Wright asked, “just a cipher, the man who was going through the paperwork, some sort of functionary” or was he “shifting the blame away, higher up the chain to Rebekah Brooks”?
He told jurors that O’Driscoll must have known he was approving payments to public officials, Why else would journalist A have emailed him in relation to tips from a Chelsea copper. He was, said Wright, involved in the “casual use of corruption to feed an insatiable hunger … for exclusives”.He told jurors that O’Driscoll must have known he was approving payments to public officials, Why else would journalist A have emailed him in relation to tips from a Chelsea copper. He was, said Wright, involved in the “casual use of corruption to feed an insatiable hunger … for exclusives”.
In reference to a feed of stories about celebrities from the “Chelsea copper”, Wright said: “The casualties of terrible accidents such as Mica’s sister’s, the casualty of terrible crimes and their families, the morbid, humourous, mundane, the outrageous, the truly gripping, macabre, heart-rending, the tragic, the spectacular and the disturbing, everything had a price.” In reference to a feed of stories about celebrities from the “Chelsea copper”, Wright said: “The casualties of terrible accidents such as Mika’s sister’s, the casualty of terrible crimes and their families, the morbid, humourous, mundane, the outrageous, the truly gripping, macabre, heart-rending, the tragic, the spectacular and the disturbing, everything had a price.”
The evidence against picture editor Edwards centres on just four emails. “There may be only four emails, but involvement is not determined by any quantative assessment of the evidence, it is determined by the quality,” said Wright.The evidence against picture editor Edwards centres on just four emails. “There may be only four emails, but involvement is not determined by any quantative assessment of the evidence, it is determined by the quality,” said Wright.
“The tragedy of this case, is that each of these men have such commendable qualities, hard-working, sensible, decent and John Edwards reflects all of these qualities,” said Wright. For Edwards “it went badly wrong” as he came under pressure as picture editor.“The tragedy of this case, is that each of these men have such commendable qualities, hard-working, sensible, decent and John Edwards reflects all of these qualities,” said Wright. For Edwards “it went badly wrong” as he came under pressure as picture editor.
Jurors were also told that Dudman had lost his way at the Sun.Jurors were also told that Dudman had lost his way at the Sun.
“With age comes maturity, with seniority comes responsibility. Graham Dudman lost sight of these things some time ago. He thought he could do as he pleased,” said Wright, urging the jury to ignore Dudman’s attempts to justify his conduct.“With age comes maturity, with seniority comes responsibility. Graham Dudman lost sight of these things some time ago. He thought he could do as he pleased,” said Wright, urging the jury to ignore Dudman’s attempts to justify his conduct.
Wright accused Troup, a former reporter on the paper, of having “intermittent amnesia” which, he said, was “borne not out of any defective memory” but “out of necessity”.Wright accused Troup, a former reporter on the paper, of having “intermittent amnesia” which, he said, was “borne not out of any defective memory” but “out of necessity”.
His poor recollection was, Wright said, “a product of a man seeking at all times to hedge his bets, to tailor his case to try to fit”.His poor recollection was, Wright said, “a product of a man seeking at all times to hedge his bets, to tailor his case to try to fit”.
He invited the jury to find all the defendants guilty.He invited the jury to find all the defendants guilty.
All six have denied all the charges.All six have denied all the charges.
The trial continues.The trial continues.