Phone hacking trial: How Milly Dowler's phone was targeted

5 News
5 Nov 201302:05

Summary

TLDRThe case surrounding the hacking of Millie Dowler's voicemail by a private detective working for News of the World sheds light on unethical practices in journalism. During the investigation into Millie's disappearance, it was revealed that the newspaper had intercepted her voicemails, leading to a chain of events that ultimately implicated senior editors. Despite claims of uncertainty around specific communications, the incident contributed to the downfall of the newspaper and brought serious charges against three high-ranking journalists, who all deny the accusations.

Takeaways

  • ๐Ÿ˜€ A private detective hired by News of the World hacked into 13-year-old Millie Dowler's voicemail while she was missing.
  • ๐Ÿ˜€ The prosecution argues that Rebecca Brooks, editor of News of the World, knew about the voicemail hacking despite being on holiday in Dubai.
  • ๐Ÿ˜€ The prosecution claims that Brooks was in regular contact with her lover, Andy Coulson, and other colleagues during Millie's disappearance.
  • ๐Ÿ˜€ Stuart Kuttner, the managing editor, allegedly contacted Surrey police, suggesting a new lead from Millieโ€™s voicemails.
  • ๐Ÿ˜€ Kuttner told police the voicemail contained a message from a recruitment agent that could potentially aid in the search for Millie.
  • ๐Ÿ˜€ Surrey police dismissed the voicemail as likely being part of a hoax after listening to it.
  • ๐Ÿ˜€ The message from the voicemail, which was quoted in the News of the World, was later published in the paper, but text was removed in later editions.
  • ๐Ÿ˜€ Text messages between Rebecca Brooks and Andy Coulson are suggested as the reason for the later editing of the voicemail content in the paper.
  • ๐Ÿ˜€ The voicemail had been left by a recruitment agent who had dialed the wrong number, leading to the confusion and scandal.
  • ๐Ÿ˜€ The accidental voicemail, coupled with the hacking scandal, contributed to the downfall of News of the World and the trial of three senior editors.
  • ๐Ÿ˜€ All eight defendants, including Rebecca Brooks, deny the charges against them related to the voicemail hacking.

Q & A

  • What was the main issue at the center of the trial?

    -The main issue was whether the editor of the News of the World, Rebecca Brooks, knew that a private detective had hacked into the voicemail of missing 13-year-old Millie Dowler, and whether she was involved in actions leading to the publication of information obtained through that hack.

  • What was the role of the private detective in Millie Dowler's case?

    -The private detective, hired by the News of the World, hacked into Millie Dowler's mobile phone and listened to her voicemails during the weeks she was missing.

  • How did the prosecution link Rebecca Brooks to the phone hacking incident?

    -The prosecution argued that Rebecca Brooks, even though she was on holiday in Dubai, was in regular contact with her then lover, Andy Coulson, and other colleagues on the paper's news desk. They claimed she knew about the hacking of Millie Dowler's phone and the publication of details from her voicemails.

  • What did Stuart Kutner, the managing editor, allegedly do regarding the voicemail message?

    -Stuart Kutner allegedly phoned Surrey Police three weeks after Millie Dowler's disappearance, urging them to investigate a new lead based on a voicemail message left by a recruitment agent on Millie's phone.

  • What was the content of the voicemail that appeared in the News of the World article?

    -The voicemail quoted in the article was a message from a recruitment agent, stating: 'We are ringing because we have some interviews starting. Can you call me back? Thank you, bye-bye.'

  • What happened to the voicemail message after it was first published in the newspaper?

    -After the voicemail was first published, the text was later edited out in subsequent editions of the newspaper, following text messages between Rebecca Brooks and Andy Coulson.

  • How did the voicemail message lead to the downfall of the News of the World?

    -The voicemail message, which turned out to be from a recruitment agent who had dialed the wrong number, was mistakenly believed to be a lead in the search for Millie Dowler. The resulting scandal surrounding the hacking and the misleading publication of the voicemail contributed to the downfall of the News of the World and the trial of its senior editors.

  • What did the police think about the voicemail message when it was first presented to them?

    -The police initially believed the voicemail message was likely the result of a hoax and did not consider it a valid lead in the investigation of Millie Dowler's disappearance.

  • What role did text messages between Rebecca Brooks and Andy Coulson play in the case?

    -Text messages between Rebecca Brooks and Andy Coulson were significant in the case, as they were believed to have led to the editing of the voicemail content in the later editions of the newspaper. The prosecution argued that these communications showed knowledge of the voicemail's contents.

  • What is the defense's argument regarding Rebecca Brooks' involvement?

    -Rebecca Brooks' defense argued that there was uncertainty regarding the exact timings of her phone calls and texts to the UK while she was on holiday in Dubai, implying that there was no clear evidence linking her directly to the phone hacking activities.

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Related Tags
Millie DowlerNews of the WorldPhone HackingPrivate DetectiveRebecca BrooksAndy CoulsonPolice InvestigationUK Media ScandalVoicemail LeaksLegal TrialJournalism Ethics