View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Media Law
July 9, 2013updated 10 Jul 2013 8:18pm

Scotland Yard to ‘assess’ Murdoch tape as News Corp boss recalled to face MP grilling

By PA Mediapoint and Press Gazette

Scotland Yard will "fully assess" the contents of a tape recording of comments apparently made by Rupert Murdoch in a meeting with News International journalists, a senior officer said today.

Murdoch has also been recalled to face MPs on the Commons' Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee following the emergence of the recordings.

Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick told MPs on the Home Affairs Select Committee that the force is trying to get a copy of the clip of Murdoch speaking to members of staff from the Sun in March.

In the recording, obtained by the investigative website Exaro, a voice alleged to be Murdoch's says: "We're talking about payments for news tips from cops: that's been going on a hundred years. You didn't instigate it."

He is also claimed to have said that the company had started telling the Metropolitan Police to get court orders to obtain information, branded the force "totally incompetent" and said that their inquiries were "unbelievably slow".

Commander Neil Basu, who gave evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee alongside Dick today, said he was "not surprised" to hear the criticism.

Dick hit back by saying the investigations were "progressing extremely well".

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

She said the force is currently trying to get a copy of the tape of Murdoch's comments, and added: "We will assess the full contents of that tape."

Earlier today, Exaro said it would be handing over all evidence it had, including two audio clips from the meeting, to the police but added that there was nothing that would come to light that had not already been published.

Basu revealed that police now believe that there could be up to 5,500 victims of phone hacking.

He is leading Scotland Yard's probes into claims of phone hacking, allegations of corrupt payments to public officials and computer hacking and other privacy breaches.

It is estimated that the inquiries will cost £38.8 million up to April 2015.

Basu told the committee that so far 3,500 alleged victims have been contacted under Operation Weeting, the phone hacking probe.

He said that 419 alleged victims have been identified as part of Operation Elveden, the payments probe, of whom 213 have been informed.

There are 154 allegations under Operation Tuleta, the inquiry into claims of computer hacking and other privacy breaches, involving 135 potential victims, all of whom have been contacted.

No date has been set for Murdoch's reappearance in front of the CMS committee but it is not expected before the autumn.

 

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network