Morgan ‘asked Slickers to get him out of trouble’ in share dealing probe
James Hipwell said his one-time boss had splashed out £20,000 on stock he discovered was going to be tipped in the column.
When Alan Sugar’s company Viglen “soared” in value following the article, the tabloid’s bosses asked lawyers Lovells to investigate the editor’s dealings.
He told jurors after the probe was launched he was approached by both Martin Cruddace, an in-house lawyer and Tina Weaver, the Mirror’s deputy editor.
“They came over to my desk and said I needed to help Piers Morgan because he was in trouble and that I should generally frustrate the Lovells investigation.
“I needed to make it clear to Lovells solicitors that Piers had not seen the Viglen story before it went into the newspaper.”
Hipwell said any help he provided to the former editor ceased when he realised he, too, was in trouble.
Hipwell, 39, of Caledonian Road, Holloway, north London, and private investor Terry Shepherd, 36, of Kinglea, Leatherhead, Surrey, each plead not guilty to conspiring with journalist Anil Bhoyrul to “create a misleading impression as to the value of investments” between August 1, 1999 and February 29, 2000. Mr Bhoyrul, 38, is not on trial.
