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News of the World's Neil Wallis agreed to phone hacking, Old Bailey told News of the World's Neil Wallis agreed to phone hacking, Old Bailey told
(about 5 hours later)
The former deputy editor of the News of the World knew phone hacking was being carried out at the Sunday newspaper and agreed that it should be done, an Old Bailey jury was told. The former deputy editor of the News of the World knew phone hacking was being carried out at the Sunday newspaper and agreed that it should be done, an Old Bailey jury has been told.
The court heard that Neil Wallis, 64, tried to recruit journalist Dan Evans from the Sunday Mirror, and told him bluntly: “I know you can screw phones, what else can you do?”The court heard that Neil Wallis, 64, tried to recruit journalist Dan Evans from the Sunday Mirror, and told him bluntly: “I know you can screw phones, what else can you do?”
Wallis, of Chiswick, west London, denies one charge of conspiracy to intercept voicemail communications between January 2003 and August 2006.Wallis, of Chiswick, west London, denies one charge of conspiracy to intercept voicemail communications between January 2003 and August 2006.
Opening the trial on Tuesday, Julian Christopher, QC, prosecuting, said it was well-established that phone hacking was “going on on a large scale” at the paper, which caused it to be shut down.Opening the trial on Tuesday, Julian Christopher, QC, prosecuting, said it was well-established that phone hacking was “going on on a large scale” at the paper, which caused it to be shut down.
Andy Coulson, the editor between 2003 to 2007, had been convicted of conspiracy to intercept voicemail messages and other senior desk editors had admitted their involvement, the jury heard. Andy Coulson, the editor between 2003 and 2007, had been convicted of conspiracy to intercept voicemail messages and other senior desk editors had admitted their involvement, the jury heard.
This case centred on whether Wallis, who was Coulson’s deputy, was also part of that conspiracy, the court heard. It was not suggested Wallis himself carried out the hacking, “but rather, the prosecution alleges, that he knew it was being done and agreed that it should be done”. This case centres on whether Wallis, who was Coulson’s deputy, was also part of that conspiracy, the court heard. It was not suggested that Wallis himself carried out the hacking, “but rather, the prosecution alleges, that he knew it was being done and agreed that it should be done”.
The practice was so widespread that “it is inconceivable that the editor above him should have been involved and those below him should have been involved, without him also knowing about it and being involved”, said Christopher.The practice was so widespread that “it is inconceivable that the editor above him should have been involved and those below him should have been involved, without him also knowing about it and being involved”, said Christopher.
The jury would hear from Evans, an “important witness” who carried out some of the hacking and was recruited by the News of the World from the Sunday Mirror.The jury would hear from Evans, an “important witness” who carried out some of the hacking and was recruited by the News of the World from the Sunday Mirror.
“There was an occasion on which the journalist [Evans] actually played a tape of a recorded voicemail to the deputy editor and the editor – Mr Wallis and Mr Coulson – as a result of which the process of writing and substantiating a story was set in motion,” Christopher added. “There was an occasion on which the journalist [Evans] actually played a tape of a recorded voicemail to the deputy editor and the editor – Mr Wallis and Mr Coulson – as a result of which the process of writing and substantiating a story was set in motion,” Christopher said.
There were also “a number of emails within the News of the World, in which Mr Wallis was included” and which the prosecution contends refer “obliquely of course, to the interception of voicemail”. The prosecution suggests all those party to the emails “plainly knew what was being referred to”.There were also “a number of emails within the News of the World, in which Mr Wallis was included” and which the prosecution contends refer “obliquely of course, to the interception of voicemail”. The prosecution suggests all those party to the emails “plainly knew what was being referred to”.
Evans had admitted phone hacking, for which he received a 10-month suspended sentence, and had agreed to a deal with the prosecution to give evidence, the jury heard. “His motivation will no doubt have been to secure a lesser sentence for himself,” said Christopher. Evans had admitted phone hacking, for which he received a 10-month suspended sentence, and agreed to a deal with the prosecution to give evidence, the jury heard. “His motivation will no doubt have been to secure a lesser sentence for himself,” said Christopher.
The jury should “treat his evidence with care”, said Christopher, adding: “Once you have seen and heard him, and considered his evidence in the context of all the evidence in this case, we say you can be confident, self-interest or otherwise, that he is telling the truth.”The jury should “treat his evidence with care”, said Christopher, adding: “Once you have seen and heard him, and considered his evidence in the context of all the evidence in this case, we say you can be confident, self-interest or otherwise, that he is telling the truth.”
He said Evans could provide a “snapshot of what was taking place at the News of the World under the stewardship of Andy Coulson, at the top, and Neil Wallis”.He said Evans could provide a “snapshot of what was taking place at the News of the World under the stewardship of Andy Coulson, at the top, and Neil Wallis”.
He said during the job interview with Wallis, the then deputy editor sat opposite Evans “and said quite bluntly, something to the effect of ‘I know you can screw phones, what else can you do?’”. He said that during the job interview with Wallis, the then deputy editor sat opposite Evans “and said quite bluntly, something to the effect of ‘I know you can screw phones, what else can you do?’”.
Evans turned down the job but shortly afterwards was approached by Jules Stenson, the paper’s features editor, who would later admit to involvement in phone hacking. He wanted Evans to work for an investigations unit. The conversation turned to phone hacking, and he said he would want Evans “to do a little bit of that”, said Christopher. Evans turned down the job but shortly afterwards was approached by Jules Stenson, the paper’s features editor, who later admitted to involvement in phone hacking. He wanted Evans to work for an investigations unit. The conversation turned to phone hacking and he said he would want Evans “to do a little bit of that”, said Christopher.
Evans subsequently had a breakfast meeting with Coulson and Stenson at a London hotel. Things moved on to phone hacking, or “stuff you do with phones”, said Christopher, and Evans described “how it generated big stories cheaply” and that he had had a “good run of front pages” at the Sunday Mirror. Evans got the impression that Coulson was “very satisfied”, the jury heard, and he was given the job.Evans subsequently had a breakfast meeting with Coulson and Stenson at a London hotel. Things moved on to phone hacking, or “stuff you do with phones”, said Christopher, and Evans described “how it generated big stories cheaply” and that he had had a “good run of front pages” at the Sunday Mirror. Evans got the impression that Coulson was “very satisfied”, the jury heard, and he was given the job.
“No time was wasted in tasking him with phone-hacking activities,” said Christopher, and immediately he started on the paper, he was sent a 27-page email from Stenson, detailing addresses and phone numbers. “No time was wasted in tasking him with phone-hacking activities,” said Christopher, and as soon as Evans started on the paper, Stenson sent him a 27-page email detailing addresses and phone numbers.
Wallis is accused of conspiracy to intercept voicemails from the time he joined the paper in January 2003 until August 2006, when the paper’s royal editor, Clive Goodman, and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire were arrested. Both were subsequently convicted and jailed. Wallis is accused of conspiracy to intercept voicemails from the time he joined the paper in January 2003 until August 2006, when the paper’s then royal editor, Clive Goodman, and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire were arrested. Both were subsequently convicted and jailed.
The jury heard that Evans would claim he played a tape of a voicemail left on actor Daniel Craig’s phone to a number of people, including Coulson and Wallis, and that the recording was believed to confirm rumours at the paper that actor Sienna Miller was cheating on then boyfriend Jude Law.
The tape, which no longer exists, allegedly contained a message from Miller to Craig saying: “Hi, it’s me. I can’t speak. I’m in the Groucho with Jude. I love you.”
Christopher said: “If he did play that tape, it would have been abundantly plain this was the result of the interception of a voicemail.”
Evans claimed after the tape had been played a few times that Wallis took him by the elbow and said to him: “You’re a company man now, Dan.”
It was inconceivable that Wallis “who straddled both features and news might have been ignorant” that the story had come from hacking voicemails, said Christopher.
Evans also used hacking to get information about boxer Amir Khan and former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, the court was told.
When Stenson referred in an email to senior staff, including Wallis, to Evans’s “special checks”, no further explanation was given “because he is expecting everyone to know what he is talking about”, said Christopher.
On one occasion, Stenson sent an email to Coulson and Wallis about Hannah Pawlby, a special advisor falsely rumoured to be having a relationship with then home secretary, Charles Clarke. Wallis replied: “U checked Nev has got that mobile?”, referring to chief reporter at the time, Neville Thurlbeck.
“Why, the prosecution asks, if not so that her messages could be listened to, as indeed they subsequently were,” said Christopher.
The jury was told Wallis was on holiday in France when the News of the World became aware through phone hacking that the then home secretary, David Blunkett, was having an affair with a married woman.
Coulson went to confront Blunkett at his constituency office in Sheffield prior to publication, but telephone exchanges between Coulson and Wallis at the time show Wallis “must have been involved” too, said Christopher. The topic of those telephone calls, “we can safely assume”, was the reason why Coulson had gone to Sheffield, the lawyer added.
Goodman made a transcript of a voicemail left by Prince Harry asking his private secretary, Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, for help with an essay on the Iranian embassy siege while at Sandhurst. In an email allegedly sent to Wallis, Goodman explained how he was trying to stand it up, adding “as we know, it’s 100% fact”.
The prosecution alleged: “Mr Wallis knew full well what was going on, what the source of this story was and why it was that ‘we know its 100% fact’.”
Another hacked Lowther-Pinkerton voicemail led to a story about Prince William’s alleged “drunken conduct” at his brother’s passing out ball at Sandhurst. Wallis emailed Goodman: “Remind me how we know this to be true.”
Wallis, who was first arrested in July 2011, made no comment in police interviews, the jury heard, but he attacked Evans in a prepared statement to police, saying the journalist was a self-confessed liar who had “alcohol and drug abuse” issues and that his “scattergun allegations” were designed to either “escape or mitigate” the consequences of his own actions.
Concluding his opening, Christopher said Wallis’s “vigorous” denial had a “hollow ring to it”.
“In fact, Mr Wallis did not only know of the practice but was an active participant in it, producing stories on the back of voicemail interceptions.”
Wallis was “one of Andy Coulson’s inner circle, he was his trusted and able deputy at a time when phone hacking was rife at the News of the World, and at a time, you may think, when the newspaper considered the ends capable of justifying the means”.
The case continues.The case continues.