Private detective ‘instructed on phone hacking’

Glenn Mulcaire was jailed in January 2007 with former News of the World (NoW) royal editor Clive Goodman for accessing people’s voicemail messages.

Mulcaire’s lawyers have issued a statement which said that suggestions he may have acted “unilaterally” were not true. He has faced an increasing number of questions over the extent of his involvement following fresh allegations that the former Sunday tabloid illegally accessed the voicemails of many other public figures.

The statement described Mulcaire as being “effectively employed by the NoW from 2002”.

As an employee, he acted on the instructions of others. Lawyers for Glenn Mulcaire

It continued: “As an employee, he acted on the instructions of others. There were also occasions when he understood his instructions were from those who genuinely wished to assist in solving crimes.

“Any suggestion that he acted in such matters unilaterally is untrue. In the light of the ongoing police investigation, he cannot say any more.”

Murdochs could be recalled

It comes after MPs asked News International Chairman James Murdoch to clarify his evidence on phone hacking to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee in writing. Labour MP Tom Watson said his attempt to recall Rupert Murdoch and his son James to give more evidence in person was voted down.

Mr Watson revealed the rebuff by his colleagues at a news conference after the committee met to discuss its next steps in its investigation of the scandal.

Further written evidence has to provided by 11 August. The committee will then decide which witnesses to recall.

But Chairman of the committee John Whittingdale said it was “highly likely” they would eventually recall James Murdoch to give more evidence on alleged systematic phone-hacking.

“I think the chances are that we will re-issue to take oral evidence, but before doing so I want to get the answers to the detailed questions that we have,” Mr Whittingdale told a news conference in Westminster.

“What we have got is a flat contradiction between James Murdoch’s evidence by two very senior executives (Myler and Crone) in the company,” he continued.

Key document

The MPs met on Friday morning to discuss claims made by two ex-News of the World executives that James Murdoch may have had knowledge about a key document – which he had denied.

Mr Watson said he would also call for ex-News of the World editor Colin Myler and the paper’s ex-legal manager Tom Crone to answer questions about the so-called “For Neville” email.

James Murdoch told the Culture, Media and Sport committee earlier this month that he was not aware of the document when he approved an out-of-court settlement with Gordon Taylor, the Professional Footballers’ Association Chief Executive.

It is claimed the email revealed that senior staff may have been involved in phone hacking.

The FTSE 100 Index company said Mr Murdoch would remain as chairman as it revealed a 23 per cent hike in annual operating profits to £1.1 billion – rubbing salt into the wounds of News Corporation, which earlier this month withdrew its bid for total control of the company.

Today, BSkyB also gave its backing to chairman James Murdoch after his role at the satellite broadcaster came under pressure in the wake of the News International scandal.

PCC head to step down

Meanwhile, the scandal has taken another scalp as the chair of the Press Complaints Commission said she has decided not to apply for the role again when her three-year term finishes at the end of the year.

Baroness Peta Buscombe has chaired the watchdog since April 2009 but has faced a backlash over recent events, which led to the closure of the News of the World.