In-house lawyer at Times Newspapers Ltd (TNL), publisher of The Times and The Sunday Times, for 33 years (1977-2010), becoming head of The Times’ Legal Department. He was questioned at the Inquiry on his knowledge of Nightjack, an anonymous police blogger whose identity The Times had revealed. It later emerged that the identity was discovered via phone hacking and a Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal later ruled that Alastair Brett knowingly allowed the high court to be misled over the hacking of Nightjack's email account.
The parents of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler, whose voicemails were intercepted by the News of the World, leading to the misconception that Milly had been receiving her messages and was therefore alive. The unearthing of this practice sparked the investigations and subsequent court action against those involved, which in turn led to the establishment of the Leveson Inquiry. Designated Core Participant Victims in the Inquiry.
Former member of British Military Intelligence and author of a book highlighting aspects of his service in Northern Ireland under the pseudonym Martin Ingram. He told the Inquiry that he and his family had been hacked by the now defunct News of the World: "The documentation that I've seen and others have seen, including Parliamentarians, clearly shows the corruptness which was allowed to continue and the culture was encouraged ... It would not have taken place over such a sustained period if it hadn't had the cover and the protection of very senior police officers," he told the Inquiry.
Former Assistant Chief Constable at Surrey Police, Kirkby held an internal investigation into the Surrey Police’s handling of the information accessed by the News of the World, which was obtained by hacking the voicemail of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler.
Former Managing Director of Independent Print Limited (IPL). Mullins gave evidence to the Inquiry on the values of IPL after its purchase of The Independent and Independent on Sunday, which were to be free from political bias and free from proprietorial influence.
John Stevens was Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (head of the Metropolitan Police Service) from 2000 until 2005. From 1991 to 1996, he was Chief Constable of Northumbria Police before being appointed one of HM Inspectors of Constabulary in September 1996. He was then appointed Deputy Commissioner of the Met in 1998 until his promotion to Commissioner in 2000. Told the Inquiry that he had set out to develop a close relationship with the media.
Australian computer programmer and director, founder and editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks, an organisation he formed in 2006, dedicated to leaking hitherto secret information. Assange gave evidence of his dealings with the Press Complaints Commission and his complaints about the many false statements and libels of him in the press.
Journalist, worked for The People from 1995 to 2006. He told the Inquiry that he had not personally been involved in phone hacking and had only anecdotal evidence of some cases.
Technology consultant and award-winning blogger on security issues. Gave evidence on his work writing for "Naked Security" blog for Sophos Ltd, a global computer security firm protecting businesses against spam and hacking.
British lawyer and partner at Payne Hicks Beach since 2014. Crossley is known for handling disputes for high-profile actors, business people, politicians, musicians and sports people. He represented all 53 “Core Participant Victims” during the Leveson Inquiry including the families of Madeleine McCann and Milly Dowler.
Founded 1992, with focus on improving quality of policy ideas for the UK and EU. It has produced studies promoting the design, effective use and subsequent audit of impact assessments. Offered evidence to the Inquiry on the failings of the Press Complaints Commission.
Born 1959. Australian lawyer and, until 2014, Deputy Chair of the Independent Police Complaints Commission. During her time at the IPCC was responsible for many high-profile criminal and misconduct investigations and decisions involving the police. Told the Inquiry of the IPCC’s role in relation to police response to events such as the phone-hacking scandal, the death of Ian Tomlinson during the London G20 protests in 2009, and the decision to launch an independent investigation into the aftermath of the Hillsborough football stadium disaster.
Non-profit organisation, website and magazine, founded by Michael Scammell, which tackles issues of censorship and reduced rights to free speech. Publishes works from censored writers around the world and tweeted on the Inquiry throughout. Index said it thought regulation a slippery slope but would welcome better self-regulation.
British journalist and campaigner. Goldsmith (previously known by her married name Khan) established the Jemima Khan Afghan Refugee Appeal to provide tents, clothing, food and healthcare for Afghan refugees at Jalozai camp in Peshawar and became an Ambassador for UNICEF UK in 2001. She gave a statement to the Inquiry based on allegations of hacking of her former partner, Hugh Grant.
Detective Chief Inspector at New Scotland Yard. Macdonald was involved in Operation Weeting, the police investigation into allegations of phone hacking at the News of the World. His evidence related directly to the progression of the hacking of murdered schoolgirl Millie Dowler’s voicemail and in particular how and whether voicemails had been deleted.
Production assistant working with Warner Bros, identified as the "plummy-voiced" English woman at the centre of Hugh Grant's phone-hacking scandal. Owen gave evidence that as part of her work she left many messages on Grant's mobile which were gratuitously exposed in the press and which the press described as flirtatious.
Founded 1888. English-language international daily newspaper with an emphasis on business and economic news. Editor Lionel Barber, contributing editor John Lloyd and FT solicitor Timothy Bratton all gave evidence to the Inquiry.
Support group set up in 1989 in the aftermath of the Hillsborough Disaster to represent bereaved families. Chairman of the Support Group Margaret Aspinall brought the Inquiry's attention to the collusion between police and press, most prominently The Sun, which had been at the root of much of the Hillsborough families' suffering.
Founded 1981. British newspaper publisher at the centre of the phone-hacking scandal. At the time of the Inquiry, NI was publisher of The Times, The Sunday Times and The Sun newspapers. Former publications included Today, News of the World and The London Paper. On 31 May 2011, the company name was changed from News International Limited to NI Group Limited, and on 26 June 2013 to News UK. In opening evidence, NI's counsel, Rhodri Davies, welcomed the Inquiry and apologised for the phone hacking. He said lessons had been learned. He also declared that NI was in favour of self-regulation and that the company believed the PCC could be improved.
British multinational telecommunications company, with headquarters in London. Told the Inquiry of being approached by the Metropolitan Police Service in 2006 and informed that unauthorised individuals had gained access to the voicemail boxes of its customers. Gave evidence on the security measures that had been taken to improve security since.
