‘Police knew of Dowler hacking in 2002’

THE police force that investigated the murder of Milly Dowler was last night accused of knowing in 2002 that the schoolgirl’s phone was hacked.

Claims were made by The Independent newspaper that detectives involved with the case were informed nine years ago that the News of the World (NOTW) had accessed her voicemails, but that they took no action.

Allegations that the murdered teenager’s phone messages were hacked only emerged publicly in early July this year.

Around three weeks later it emerged that in 2002 Surrey Police had removed a detective from the probe into her disappearance after the officer passed on details of the case to a friend.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is currently investigating an allegation that a Surrey officer passed on information about the search for Milly to the NOTW in 2002.

Last night the Dowler family’s solicitor, Mark Lewis, said: “Questions need to be asked why the police seemed keener on selling newspapers than solving crimes.

“It seems that when the public dialled 999 the police dialled NOTW”