Editor since 1999 of the Irish News, a daily newspaper based in Belfast. Told the Inquiry that the implications of the PCC were frequently discussed at editorial meetings and that the PCC had never ruled that the Irish News had been in breach of the Code. He firmly believed none of his staff had been involved in phone-hacking nor made any payments to private investigators.
Editor of the Belfast Telegraph at the time of the Inquiry and a former editor of The Scotsman and the Evening Telegraph. Gilson was a member of PCC Code Committee between 2003 and 2009.
Group Managing Editor of the Belfast Telegraph at time of Inquiry and until 2014. Journalist and Media Consultant. Connolly's career has covered many aspects of print and digital news-gathering from reporting to senior management. Gave evidence on the ethical standards of the company. Said that private investigators were not used by the Belfast Telegraph or Community Telegraph though small payments had been made by Sunday Life to a private investigating agency.