Abell was deputy director of the Press Complaints Commission at the time of giving evidence, having previously acted as one of two assistant directors at the Commission. Abell provided extensive information on the background of the PCC, its guidelines regarding conduct, and desirable ways of balancing the interests of editors and the public. He also argued in favour of pre-publication consultation. If a person knew something was to be written about them, the PCC could represent the person to the paper "and give advice to the editor, while letting the editor retain the decision about publication. But the effect is very often that stories are either not published, or that the inaccurate and untruthful parts of stories are not published." Now a radio presenter and editor of the Times Literary Supplement, Abell was also Managing Editor of The Sun from 2013 to 2016.
Facebook's Director of Public Policy for Europe, Middle East and Africa at time of Inquiry. Gave evidence on his role in ensuring that the platform did not violate privacy laws within each country of use and in removing information which was libellous or violated the terms of service. Asked whether Facebook ever sold personal information to third parties, he replied that it did not.
At the time of the Inquiry, Ashford was Editorial Director of Northern & Shell, then the parent company of the Daily and Sunday Express, OK! magazine and a variety of other periodicals. He was requested to explain the circumstances of that company's withdrawal from the PCC. He said that "hurtful" attacks from other PCC members made N&S reluctant to participate, fearing that the PCC would not have the group's best interests at heart. Ashford also gave evidence regarding the Daily Express's close following of the Madeleine McCann story and comments made by Sir Christopher Meyer, then Chairman of PCC, about Peter Hill, editor at that time.
Director and co-owner of Ferrari Press Agency Limited, a freelance news agency based in Kent at time of Inquiry. Ferrari specialised in providing images, news and real-life features to national newspapers. Described the procedures and safeguards in place at the time.
Director of Communications at the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) at the time of the Inquiry, having previously worked as a sub-editor for Hello! magazine and as deputy editor on a magazine called Food Manufacture. Gave details of how the ACPO press office communicated and passed on information to the press.
Solicitor and Director of Legal Affairs at News International until 2011. He had given advice on the dismissal and employment-tribunal case of Clive Goodman, former royal editor of the News of the World, who had been convicted of criminally hacking phones.
British journalist. In December 2007, Harding was appointed editor of The Times, at 37 the youngest person to assume the post, which he held until 2012. A year later, he became Director of BBC News. Harding told the Inquiry that he feared the judge's investigation into press ethics would lead to an Act of Parliament that would stifle the press. "We don't want a country ... where the Prime Minister decides what goes in newspapers," he said.
Director of Equality Now, who has spearheaded several campaigns, including for the creation of a United Nations Working Group to focus on ending discrimination against women in law and in practice. Gave evidence to the Inquiry about the UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women and that Committee's concern about the "lack of positive media portrayals of ethnic minority, elderly women and women with disabilities".
Executive Director of Imkaan, a UK-based black and minority ethnic women's organisation, at time of Inquiry. Imkaan aimed to prevent and respond to violence against marginalised girls and women. Larasi also co-chaired the End Violence Against Women Coalition, which became a registered charity in 2015. She asked the press to avoid reproducing attitudes which condoned violence against women and girls.
English media executive and former newspaper editor. Editor of The Sun from 1981 to 1994, by then established as the British newspaper with the largest circulation in the UK. Answered questions on The Sun's use of private investigators ("never used them") and on paying public officials for information. He was in favour of public officials whistle-blowing to The Sun, he said, even if The Sun had to pay money.
CEO of Telegraph Media Group at the time of the Inquiry, he stepped down in 2017 to become deputy chairman of the group. Told the Inquiry that the Telegraph was a strong supporter of the Editor's Code of Practice which "sets the benchmark for ethical standards, protecting both the rights of the individual and the public's right to know". It was the cornerstone of the system of self-regulation to which the industry has made a binding commitment, he said.
Finance Director and Company Secretary of Independent Print Limited at the time of the Inquiry. Gave evidence on procedures for payment of expenses, casual staff payments, etc. Said that to the best of his knowledge payments had not been made to private investigators.
At the time of giving evidence, Megone was Professor of Interdisciplinary Applied Ethics at Leeds University, having led a successful £3 million bid for a new Centre of Excellence in Teaching and Learning in Inter-Disciplinary Ethics, of which he became director. Told the Inquiry that there was a significant public interest in a free press, but the social purpose or interest which the press serves is not guaranteed to be achieved simply by the freedom given by lack of censorship. The public had an interest in a press which was more than simply "free" in that sense, he said.
Former Director of Public Affairs, Europe and later Senior Vice-President of Government Affairs and Public Policy, Europe of News Corp. Was asked by the Inquiry to comment on his communications with representatives of government departments in the period June 2010 to July 2011 and his communications with Jeremy Hunt and Adam Smith of DCMS relating to the BSkyB bid.
Director of Full Fact, an independent fact-checking organisation campaigning against inaccuracy in the media, at the time of giving evidence. Moy told the Inquiry that the phone-hacking scandal had undoubtedly harmed public trust in the press and that we all needed to ask why journalists were the people least trusted to "tell the truth". Full Fact is a registered charity.
Director of Audit, Risk and Assurance at the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime ("MOPC") at the times of the Inquiry, having worked with the Metropolitan Police Service audit team since 1996, and been a senior manager of the Metropolitan Police Authority since it was established. Answered questions on procedures at the MOPC and on the delayed implementation of a recommendation relating to gifts and hospitality obligations.
Award-winning writer, director and producer who has written for Daily Star, Guardian, Netflix, Channel 4, Amazon, the BBC and others. Gave evidence about working for the Daily Star, and of the pressure to write contrived stories to please the editor. He told the Inquiry that there was a maxim at the paper that some stories were "too good to check". Peppiatt wrote an open letter to Richard Desmond when resigning from the Daily Star, accusing the paper of demonising Muslims, supporting the English Defence League (EDL), fabricating stories, ignoring foreign news and paying low wages to staff. A campaign of vilification against him followed, he told the Inquiry.
Born 1948. British journalist and author. He is currently serving as the British government's Commissioner for Public Appointments, and is the out-going director of the Institute for Government. From 1991 to 2010, Riddell was a political commentator for The Times and has been an Assistant Editor since 1991. Prior to this, he was US Editor and Washington Bureau Chief at The Financial Times between 1989 and 1991.
Editor of The Herald newspaper and Editor-in-Chief of the Herald and Times Group, comprising The Herald, Sunday Herald and Evening Times newspapers at the time of the Inquiry. Gave views on Lord Black's proposals and their relevance to the situation of the press in Scotland.
Director of Communications for Strathclyde Police at the time of giving evidence. Responsible for all aspects of communications – to stakeholders, members of the public and the media. Outlined generally good relations between press office and the media but acknowledged that the press would always prefer more direct contact with police officers.
