Todays papers are predictably packed with the ongoing paedophilia scandal in the UK and its fallout amongst media organisations as various factions try to play the situation to their own advantage as Levesons report eases closer. Blame is being thrown at regulated groups in a PR frenzy of dubious ethicality. Reporters fighting each other in an attempt to forestall any statutorily based regulation leaking over into the tabloid world.
While this is going on interesting things are happening in the Hacking case. Andy Coulson has been back in court, appealing the denial of his legal expenses by News International.
Phone hacking: Andy Coulson fights high court ruling over legal fees | Media | guardian.co.uk
FormerNews of the World editor Andy Coulson has challenged a high court ruling thatNews International is not liable to pay his legal fees over the phone-hacking scandal.
Lawyers for Coulson told the court of appeal in London on Thursday that criminal charges relating to his time as editor of the Sunday tabloid were "absolutely essential" to the meaning of a key clause in his contract with News International.
Interestingly Coulsons lawyers claimed that News International was still paying Rebekah Brooks lawyers. NewsInts lawyers, said there was no proof of this. The Judges then reportedly said “we’re going to take it that you are still unless you can assure us that you aren’t” and News Ints lawyers apparently pulled back. This suggests strongly that Rebekahs lawyers are still being funded.
Detective April Cashburn pleaded not guilty to misconduct in public Office
Counter-terrorism detective denies passing information to News of the World - Court - London news, sport & events - London24
A counter-terrorism officer accused of passing information to the News of the World has denied misconduct in a public office.
DCI April Casburn, 53, is charged with offering the now-closed tabloid information about Operation Varec, an investigation into whether the inquiry into phone hacking should be reopened.
The civil cases alleging Mirror group newspapers phone hacking are inching towards the court, and at the top of the businesses editorial pyramid back then was one Piers Morgan. Of course it’s impossible to tell from this distance whether he would be involved, but If this goes further, he might ask for Asylum and you could be stuck with him ;)
Put up or shut up, Mirror boss tells hacking lawyer - Crime - UK - The Independent
The lawyer acting for Sven-Goran Eriksson and the Beckhams' former nanny has been told by the publisher of the Daily Mirror to provide evidence proving that their phones were hacked by journalists working for the newspaper.
The former England coach and Abbie Gibson are among four public figures whose lawyer, Mark Lewis, alleged last month that their voicemails had been illegally accessed by reporters employed by newspapers owned by Trinity Mirror. The others are the former footballer Gary Flitcroft and the Coronation Street actress Shobna Gulati.
John Yates appears to be in an interesting situation once again. If the story is correct then he may have had his own personal forgetfulness problem before and at the Leveson inquiry.
Former Yard chief John Yates 'knew News of the World hired second private eye' - UK - News - London Evening Standard
Former Met chief John Yates was allegedly informed that high-profile figures were targeted by a private detective for News International five months before Scotland Yard finally agreed to re-open investigations into the Murdoch media empire.
The ex-deputy commissioner was personally sent evidence to suggest that Lord Prescott, Kate Middleton and other public figures were victims of a notorious private investigator in 2006, the Standard has been told.
But Mr Yates continued with Scotland Yard’s defence of its much-maligned original probe into News International for another five months. He allegedly received the new documents in September 2010, when fresh allegations had forced him to conduct a “full scope” of hacking evidence held by the Met.
But the big story of the week that has snuck out while everyone is looking the other way is that there are chances of Corporate charges being brought against News International under the 1906 prevention of corruption act.
News International could face charges over bribery allegations - Telegraph
The news came after it was reported that journalists being investigated over alleged payments to public officials are being put under pressure to implicate senior executives at Rupert Murdoch's company. More than 20 journalists at The Sun have been arrested as part of the police's Operation Elveden, and some have been apparently asked to identify bosses who may have known about or condoned payments to public officials in return for information.
The journalists were arrested as part of wider crackdown on phone hacking and payment of alleged bribes by newspapers at News Corporation's UK arm.
Now to make this charge stick, a “controlling mind” probably a board member has to be aware of the actions. And as this article mentions FCPA actions as well, then one would assume thatthey are implying that this is all the way up at Newscorp board level, not just News International the UK newspaper publishing arm.
This may imply that that Controlling Mind figure is one of the two Murdochs, and the corporate emails from Myler and Crone to James may be the piece of evidence that ties this all together.
This may be further explanation justifying the split of Newscorp into its two components. Lawyers have sat down and looked at the evidence and tried to limit the damage to just one part of the company, because that’s where the hurts coming and that’s where the legal problems will be.