Phones hacked often and ‘in public interest’

NEWS of the World reporters routinely hacked voicemails and did so because it was in the public interest, a former journalist at the paper said.

Paul McMullan, who worked at the defunct tabloid for seven years, told the Leveson Inquiry that editors were aware voicemails were being hacked, but threw reporters “to the wolves” by denying they knew anything about it.

Asked by David Barr, counsel to the inquiry, if editors were aware reporters at the tabloid were hacking people’s voicemails, the former deputy features editor said “yes”.