Scotland Yard condemned for hacking probe failures

SCOTLAND YARD was accused of “a catalogue of failures” over the phone hacking investigation in a damning report by MPs that said up to 12,800 hacking cases may exist.

The Home Affairs Committee criticised the “deliberate attempts by News International to thwart the various investigations” as it rushed out its findings hours after holding its final hearing into the scandal on Tuesday. However, it said there was no “real will” on the part of the Metropolitan Police to overcome the news organisation’s failure to co-operate.

It also called on the Government to provide more funds for Operation Weeting, the police hacking probe, warning that any delay in completing it would “seriously delay” the start of the public inquiry announced by the prime minister.

MPs said they agreed with former assistant commissioner John Yates’ own assessment that his 2009 review of the investigation was “very poor”, that he did not ask the right questions, and that he was guilty of a “serious misjudgment”.

The report also criticised the conduct of Andy Hayman, who oversaw the investigation, as “both unprofessional and inappropriate”. The committee said it was “very concerned” such an individual was placed in charge of anti-terrorism policing.

It added: “We deplore the fact that Mr Hayman took a job with News International within two months of his resignation and less than two years after he was – purportedly – responsible for an investigation into employees of that company.”

There was also criticism for Dick Fedorcio, Scotland Yard’s current communications chief, for apparently showing “no due diligence” in conducting proper checks on Neil Wallis.

Wallis, an ex-News of the World executive, was employed by the Met in 2009 and was last week questioned about phone hacking allegations.

The committee said it was “particularly shocked” by Mr Fedorcio’s approach to hiring Wallis and said he tried to deflect blame on to Mr Yates.

MPs called for extra funding to support Operation Weeting, saying it would take years to inform all potential victims without it.

They praised Deputy Assistant Commissioner Sue Akers’ decision to contact all potential victims of phone hacking by the News of the World. But they said they were “alarmed” only 170 had so far been informed, adding that “up to 12,800 people may have been affected”.

The committee launched its probe into unauthorised hacking last September and most recently has grilled key figures from the Metropolitan Police.

That includes former assistant commissioner Mr Hayman, who the committee accused of having a “cavalier attitude” towards his contacts with News International figures who were under investigation.

It said, even if the relationships were “entirely above board”, they risked “seriously undermining confidence” in the impartiality of the police, and accused him of “deliberate prevarication in order to mislead the committee”.

Committee chairman Keith Vaz said: “There has been a catalogue of failures by the Metropolitan Police, and deliberate attempts by News International to thwart the various investigations.

“Police and prosecutors have been arguing over the interpretation of the law.

“The new inquiry requires additional resources and if these are not forthcoming, it will take years to inform all the potential victims. The victims of hacking should have come first and I am shocked that this has not happened.”