Every fifth London police PR person worked for Murdoch
July 20th, 2011 - 6:49 pm ICT by IANSLondon, July 20 (IANS) Almost one in five members of the Metropolitan Police’s public relations team is a former News International (NI) employee, the Daily Express reported Wednesday.
According to Met media chief Dick Fedorcio, 10 of the “50-odd” team had worked for media mogul and owner of News Corporation Rupert Murdoch.
The astonishing figure was revealed Tuesday as MPs on the home affairs committee quizzed him over the appointment of ex-News of the World deputy editor Neil Wallis, who was later arrested in connection with the phone hacking scandal.
Defending the decision to bring in Wallis as a 1,000 pounds-a-day part-time consultant on top of his army of existing staff, Fedorcio said he needed extra support after his deputy developed a long-term illness.
Meanwhile, court papers since 2000 have revealed a key suspect in the phone-hacking scandal, ex-chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck, worked as a police source under the codename George.
It has triggered fresh fears of police-press collusion, the Daily Express report stated.
Thurlbeck and a Scotland Yard detective had been charged with corruption and both were acquitted in July 2000.
On Tuesday, Murdoch appeared before the House of Commons media committee. It was the first time he faced direct scrutiny by MPs during his 40-year media career in Britain. His newspaper News of the World (NoW) has been alleged to be involved in phone-hacking scandal.
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- Murdoch says he's humbled by MPs' probe - Jul 19, 2011
- 'Humbled' Murdoch denies responsibility for phone hacking (Lead) - Jul 20, 2011
- James Murdoch quits boards of Sun, Times - Nov 23, 2011
- News International CEO Rebekah Brooks quits (Lead) - Jul 15, 2011
- London police accused of bungling phone-hacking probe - Jul 20, 2011
- Another British police officer resigns over phone-hacking scandal - Jul 18, 2011
- Murdoch attacked during British parliamentary hearing (Lead) - Jul 19, 2011
- News of the World's ex-managing editor arrested - Aug 03, 2011
- Rebekah Brooks released on bail - Jul 18, 2011
- British MPs to get beefed up security after foam-fiasco - Oct 18, 2011
- Phone hacking probe will be widened: Cameron (Lead) - Jul 20, 2011
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