Over 28 News International journalists involved in hacking

New evidence proves that phone hacking was widespread across News International and it's now suspected that the authorities were condoning the illegal practice

It has emerged that private detective Glenn Mulcaire (pictured) was hired by at least 28 News International journalists to carry out over 2,200 illegal voicemail hacking operations over a seven-year period.

It has been reported one journalist alone made as many as 1,453 hacking requests. These revelations have exposed the truth behind previous claims by News International that only one ‘rougue reporter’ was at fault. Now 300 million News International emails are being examined by police. Records already reveal that ‘Alexander’ - a pseudonym used for Mulcaire - was paid for information relating to a 'Fergie', the ‘SAS’, ‘Wills’ and ‘Harry and Chelsea’ between 2005 and 2006. Robert Jay QC, counsel to the inquiry, claims that senior people at the paper knew about the illegal actions, whether they were openly condoning them or just turning a blind eye. ‘I suggest that it would not be unfair to comment that it was at the very least a thriving cottage industry,' he says

PHONE HACKING - THE STORY SO FAR

If senior management weren't aware of what was going on, added Jay, then News International’s systems failed. Notes found in one of Glenn Mulcaire’s notebooks suggest that the detective was also involved with the Sun and the Mirror. However, a Trinity Mirror spokesman protested last night saying: ‘The company has no knowledge of ever using Glenn Mulcaire.’ The scandal has resulted in 58 per cent of the British public claiming to have lost trust in their country’s newspapers, according to the YouGov survey commissioned by the American public service broadcaster, PBS.

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