Hacking ‘widely discussed’ at NoW

16 August 2011 Last updated at 08:24 ET

MPs have released a letter from a journalist jailed for phone hacking, alleging senior News of the World figures knew what was going on.

Former royal editor Clive Goodman wrote the letter to News International as he appealed against his dismissal in 2007.

Mr Goodman said hacking was “widely discussed” and he was promised his job back if he did not implicate the paper in court.

The Commons culture select committee, which might recall James Murdoch, published the letter.

The culture, media and sport committee’s chairman John Whittingdale MP said that it might recall Mr Murdoch to give further evidence because it needed to ask more questions about what he knew about hacking.

Other former News International executives are already expecting to be called to give evidence to MPs in September.

Last month, the MPs voted not to recall James Murdoch to give more evidence after he and his father appeared earlier in July.

Goodman is the only journalist so far to have been convicted of intercepting voice mail messages.

He was jailed for four months in January 2007 after pleading guilty to hacking phones.

News International said at the time that Goodman had acted alone and no other journalists were involved in hacking.

In early February of that year, Goodman was told he had been dismissed for gross misconduct, prompting his appeal sent to News International’s director of human resources on 2 March.

The letter, published on the MPs’ committee web, was copied to Les Hinton, News International’s then executive chairman, and Stuart Kuttner, the then managing editor of the News of the World.

Appealing against his dismissal, Goodman wrote: “The decision is perverse in that the actions leading to this criminal charge were carried out with the full knowledge and support of [redacted] … payment for Glen Mulcaire’s services was arranged by [redacted].

“The decision is inconsistent because [redacted] and other members of staff were carrying out the same illegal procedures.

“This practice was widely discussed in the daily editorial conference, until explicit reference to it was banned by the Editor. As far as I am aware, no other member of staff has faced disciplinary action, much less dismissal.”

Former Downing Street communications chief Andy Coulson was the editor of the News of the World who quit following Goodman’s conviction.

Continuing his appeal, Mr Goodman went on: “My conviction and imprisonment cannot be the real reason for my dismissal.

“The legal manager Tom Crone attended virtually every meeting of my legal team and was given full access to the Crown Prosecution Service’s evidence files,” wrote the former News of the World reporter.”

Goodman said that Mr Crone and other senior staff knew he would plead guilty but he had not been sacked prior to trial.

“Tom Crone and the Editor promised on many occasions that I could come back to a job at the newspaper if I did not implicate the paper or any of its staff in my mitigation plea,” wrote Mr Goodman. “I did not, and I expect the paper to honour its promise to me.”

The committee has also published a second version of the letter which was supplied to the committee by News International. That version was redacted further to remove references to the daily editorial conference, editor and completely omits the paragraph referring to a deal over returning to work.

Executives recalled

Earlier, the committee confirmed it was likely to recall James Murdoch and former News International executives for a further grilling.

Mr Murdoch, his father Rupert and former News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks all gave evidence to the committee in July.

During his evidence to MPs, Mr Murdoch said that when he sanctioned an out-of-court settlement with Gordon Taylor, the Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive, he had not been aware of an email which appears to suggest another News of the World journalist knew of hacking.

Two of the NoW’s former executives, editor Colin Myler and Tom Crone, later said that they had informed Mr Murdoch of the document.

Mr Murdoch has said he “stands by his testimony” – but Mr Whittingdale said the committee would be asking Mr Myler, Mr Crone and Jon Chapman, former legal director, to give more evidence.

Speaking to the BBC, the MP said: “When we have all that information and answers to the questions, I think that it would be likely that we will want to speak to James Murdoch again.”

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