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Police source leaked Milly Dowler messages, NoW reporter tells court Police source leaked Milly Dowler messages, NoW reporter tells court
(about 1 hour later)
A police source leaked transcripts of the missing schoolgirl Milly Dowler’s voicemails to Glenn Mulcaire, the freelance phone-hacker employed by the News of the World, a court has been told.A police source leaked transcripts of the missing schoolgirl Milly Dowler’s voicemails to Glenn Mulcaire, the freelance phone-hacker employed by the News of the World, a court has been told.
At least one of these transcripts was seen by Andy Coulson, who at the time was acting editor of the tabloid in Rebekah Brooks’ absence, Neville Thurlbeck told Edinburgh’s high court.At least one of these transcripts was seen by Andy Coulson, who at the time was acting editor of the tabloid in Rebekah Brooks’ absence, Neville Thurlbeck told Edinburgh’s high court.
Thurlbeck, a former NoW chief reporter, said the recordings came from an unofficial police contact of Mulcaire’s.Thurlbeck, a former NoW chief reporter, said the recordings came from an unofficial police contact of Mulcaire’s.
“Importantly in regard to Milly, at no stage was Andy aware the voicemails were illegally intercepted,” Thurlbeck told the jury.“Importantly in regard to Milly, at no stage was Andy aware the voicemails were illegally intercepted,” Thurlbeck told the jury.
Coulson is on trial after being accused of lying on oath about his knowledge of phone hacking in a perjury trial of the Scottish politician Tommy Sheridan in 2010. He denies the charge.Coulson is on trial after being accused of lying on oath about his knowledge of phone hacking in a perjury trial of the Scottish politician Tommy Sheridan in 2010. He denies the charge.
Thurlbeck told the court he instructed Mulcaire to research the background of 13-year-old Milly, who disappeared from her home in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, in March 2002.Thurlbeck told the court he instructed Mulcaire to research the background of 13-year-old Milly, who disappeared from her home in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, in March 2002.
When Mulcaire came back to him with a recording of a voicemail, he went to Coulson. “I explained there was a source, a police source, who was revealing to us, via Glenn, the existence of these voicemails and the content of them,” he said.When Mulcaire came back to him with a recording of a voicemail, he went to Coulson. “I explained there was a source, a police source, who was revealing to us, via Glenn, the existence of these voicemails and the content of them,” he said.
Richard Goddard, prosecuting, asked: “Was [Coulson] aware that you had instructed Glenn Mulcaire in relation to the Milly Dowler inquiry?”Richard Goddard, prosecuting, asked: “Was [Coulson] aware that you had instructed Glenn Mulcaire in relation to the Milly Dowler inquiry?”
“When we were discussing the voicemails, he was aware,” Thurlbeck replied.“When we were discussing the voicemails, he was aware,” Thurlbeck replied.
“He saw transcripts of them?”“He saw transcripts of them?”
“Yes,” said Thurlbeck.“Yes,” said Thurlbeck.
Asked whether Coulson had queried him about the source of the recordings and their transcripts, Thurlbeck said he had not.Asked whether Coulson had queried him about the source of the recordings and their transcripts, Thurlbeck said he had not.
“Andy did not micromanage the newspaper, it was impossible,” Thurlbeck said. “Andy employed me throughout his career because he trusted me. And if I said to Andy ‘we can trust this, this information came from a very trusted source’, that would be enough for the editor – he would not drill down. I was paid to do that, and he was paid to trust me.”“Andy did not micromanage the newspaper, it was impossible,” Thurlbeck said. “Andy employed me throughout his career because he trusted me. And if I said to Andy ‘we can trust this, this information came from a very trusted source’, that would be enough for the editor – he would not drill down. I was paid to do that, and he was paid to trust me.”
Thurlbeck agreed with Goddard that having access to the voicemails could have given the paper a breakthrough in the hunt for Milly.
“Did Mr Coulson tell you to take this recording straight to the police to help them with their inquiry?” asked Goddard.“Did Mr Coulson tell you to take this recording straight to the police to help them with their inquiry?” asked Goddard.
“The short answer is no, because Mulcaire said to me that the recording had been intercepted by his police contact,” Thurlbeck said. “He said he was getting this information from an unofficial police contact, which wouldn’t be unusual from a very good private detective.“The short answer is no, because Mulcaire said to me that the recording had been intercepted by his police contact,” Thurlbeck said. “He said he was getting this information from an unofficial police contact, which wouldn’t be unusual from a very good private detective.
“Therefore we believed for a very long time that the police were fully aware of this line of inquiry and therefore for us to go back to the police would be a pointless exercise as they already had it,” Thurlbeck said.“Therefore we believed for a very long time that the police were fully aware of this line of inquiry and therefore for us to go back to the police would be a pointless exercise as they already had it,” Thurlbeck said.
He told jurors the paper received the tip from Mulcaire about the police intercept about three weeks after Milly had gone missing.He told jurors the paper received the tip from Mulcaire about the police intercept about three weeks after Milly had gone missing.
“One of the voicemails indicated that Milly could have been working, could have absconded from home and was working via a recruitment agency for a business up north,” he said.“One of the voicemails indicated that Milly could have been working, could have absconded from home and was working via a recruitment agency for a business up north,” he said.
Thurlbeck agreed with Goddard that the voicemail purportedly from an agent offering Dowler a job could have given the paper a breakthrough in the hunt for Milly.
The paper sent about five reporters to Telford “in anticipation of obtaining that news picture of Milly working there and hopefully being led safely away by police officers, and that would have been a happy end to a very tragic story,” Thurlbeck said.The paper sent about five reporters to Telford “in anticipation of obtaining that news picture of Milly working there and hopefully being led safely away by police officers, and that would have been a happy end to a very tragic story,” Thurlbeck said.
But when the reporting team went to the factory in Telford where Dowler was supposed to be working, they found no police presence.But when the reporting team went to the factory in Telford where Dowler was supposed to be working, they found no police presence.
Thurlbeck said Coulson was “very frustrated” and “really quite angry” that seemingly “copper-bottomed evidence that this young girl had absconded” was not being corroborated in Telford.Thurlbeck said Coulson was “very frustrated” and “really quite angry” that seemingly “copper-bottomed evidence that this young girl had absconded” was not being corroborated in Telford.
The paper subsequently reported what it headlined a “Milly hoax riddle” with a reference to the voicemail purportedly left by a recruitment agency.The paper subsequently reported what it headlined a “Milly hoax riddle” with a reference to the voicemail purportedly left by a recruitment agency.
Thurlbeck said he then went to the police but told them the recording had come from a friend of Milly’s. “We had what we believed to be a very confidential source from the police force who was giving this information to us unofficially,” he said.Thurlbeck said he then went to the police but told them the recording had come from a friend of Milly’s. “We had what we believed to be a very confidential source from the police force who was giving this information to us unofficially,” he said.
“Therefore, to protect the police source, we had to disguise the fact that the voicemail had come from the police themselves. In order to do that I said we had obtained the voicemail information from a friend of Milly,” said Thurlbeck.“Therefore, to protect the police source, we had to disguise the fact that the voicemail had come from the police themselves. In order to do that I said we had obtained the voicemail information from a friend of Milly,” said Thurlbeck.
Goddard put it to him: “Being blunt about it, that was just a lie?”Goddard put it to him: “Being blunt about it, that was just a lie?”
“I’m afraid it was a necessary protection of a source,” said Thurlbeck.“I’m afraid it was a necessary protection of a source,” said Thurlbeck.
In cross-examination, the jurors heard that Coulson’s newborn baby had had open-heart surgery at the time of the Milly Dowler story and that his attention was diverted by this.In cross-examination, the jurors heard that Coulson’s newborn baby had had open-heart surgery at the time of the Milly Dowler story and that his attention was diverted by this.
The trial continues.The trial continues.