Adwent was a senior crime reporter for the East Anglican Daily Times and Evening Star Ipswich at the time of the Inquiry. He gave evidence regarding the relationship between Suffolk Police and the media.
Chief Crime Correspondent of the Daily Mirror, having worked on national papers and TV since 1992. Also Chairman of the Crime Reporters' Association and an Associate Lecturer at the Police Staff College at Bramshill, Hants. Gave evidence on the CRA and its function in promoting understanding between police and journalists.
At the time of the Inquiry, crime reporter and desk editor at The Guardian and Observer. Prior to working with The Guardian, Laville had worked for the Evening Standard and Daily Telegraph, covering major home and foreign news stories. Gave evidence concerning changing relations between Metropolitan Police and the media, from tight controls under Sir Paul Condon to a more informal relationship under Sir John Stevens. However, following the phone-hacking scandal, tensions between the media and the Met had become great, she said. Described practices maintaining contact and the importance of journalism being able to hold police to account.
Journalist. At the time of the Inquiry, Lawton was Chief Crime Correspondent of the Daily Star in London. Previously worked for Grimsby Evening Telegraph and Humberside Newsline before joining the Daily Star in 1995. He was asked about relations between crime correspondents and the Metropolitan Police.
Gave evidence as Crime Editor of The Times, having joined the publication in 2004 from the Daily Telegraph. He had always found the Metropolitan Police to be a difficult organisation to deal with, he said, as its instinct was to be closed, defensive and secretive. Gave details of meetings with various ranks and the very limited extent to which he offered or received hospitality. Described occasional invitations to "dawn raid" procedures but told the Inquiry that he had found the Metropolitan Police "immensely secretive".
Former News of the World crime editor, and the seventh person arrested under Operation Elveden on 15 December 2011. Panton joined the News of the World in September 2002 from the Sunday People, taking up the position of crime correspondent and was promoted to crime editor in October 2005. She told the Inquiry of her contacts with police officers and that the stories of press and police drinking champagne together were much exaggerated.
Crime correspondent for The Independent at the time of giving evidence. Peachey told the Inquiry that his contacts with the police aimed to hold them to account for their actions. This would have been understood, he said. Asked about "hospitality", he said it was limited to tea and biscuits during briefings.
Crime correspondent at the Sunday Mirror at time of Inquiry. Described good relations between journalists and police officers. He told the Inquiry that there was some lunching and occasional pub meetings with shared buying of rounds. Six months after giving this evidence, he was arrested in a 6am raid on suspicion of conspiracy to cause misconduct in public office. A year after that, he was told that no further action would be taken.
Daily Mirror's Crime Correspondent at the time of the Inquiry, having begun his career in 2001 as a reporter for Hackney Gazette. Answered questions on the relationship between media and the police, in particular via the Crime Reporters Association [qv], giving his opinion that, since phone hacking allegations at News of the World, the culture seemed to be marked by uncertainty on the part of the police. He also answered questions on expenses procedures at the Mirror.
Crime writer at the Daily Mail at the time of giving evidence. Among many accolades for his work, he won the Paul Foot Award in 2012 for his persistent investigation of the case of the murder of Stephen Lawrence. Wright outlined what he saw as the legal and ethical issues of investigating such cases. Asked about relations with the police, he said he relied on his ethics and his integrity while pursuing stories such as the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes or corrupt relationships at Scotland Yard. He knew and the police knew, he told the Inquiry, that he would expose any breach of duties that he uncovered.
