Abell was deputy director of the Press Complaints Commission at the time of giving evidence, having previously acted as one of two assistant directors at the Commission. Abell provided extensive information on the background of the PCC, its guidelines regarding conduct, and desirable ways of balancing the interests of editors and the public. He also argued in favour of pre-publication consultation. If a person knew something was to be written about them, the PCC could represent the person to the paper "and give advice to the editor, while letting the editor retain the decision about publication. But the effect is very often that stories are either not published, or that the inaccurate and untruthful parts of stories are not published." Now a radio presenter and editor of the Times Literary Supplement, Abell was also Managing Editor of The Sun from 2013 to 2016.
Worked as a legal advisor to News International in his role as a partner at Harbottle & Lewis. Was questioned on his involvement in, or knowledge of, the surveillance of two prominent lawyers, Mark Lewis and Charlotte Harris. Later fined £20,000 after a tribunal found that he failed to read an email containing evidence of widespread phone hacking at the News of the World. He said he was asleep when it was sent.
Adwent was a senior crime reporter for the East Anglican Daily Times and Evening Star Ipswich at the time of the Inquiry. He gave evidence regarding the relationship between Suffolk Police and the media.
Former Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service, Akers joined the force in 1976 and retired at the end of 2012, having led Operation Weeting, investigating the News International phone-hacking scandal, and the related Operations Elveden and Tuleta, respectively investigating inappropriate payments to police officers and other public officials and computer hacking. Akers was awarded the Queen's Police Medal in 2007 and appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2013 Birthday Honours for services to policing.
Francis Aldhouse, solicitor, worked as deputy to the first Information Commissioner (formerly Data Protection Registrar) from 1985 to 2006. Gave evidence on his involvement in Operation Motorman during that time.
Facebook's Director of Public Policy for Europe, Middle East and Africa at time of Inquiry. Gave evidence on his role in ensuring that the platform did not violate privacy laws within each country of use and in removing information which was libellous or violated the terms of service. Asked whether Facebook ever sold personal information to third parties, he replied that it did not.
Served as Suffolk’s Chief Constable. Joined police force in 1982 and retired in 2012. He provided evidence on Suffolk police department’s involvement and relationship with the press.
At the time of the Inquiry, Ashford was Editorial Director of Northern & Shell, then the parent company of the Daily and Sunday Express, OK! magazine and a variety of other periodicals. He was requested to explain the circumstances of that company's withdrawal from the PCC. He said that "hurtful" attacks from other PCC members made N&S reluctant to participate, fearing that the PCC would not have the group's best interests at heart. Ashford also gave evidence regarding the Daily Express's close following of the Madeleine McCann story and comments made by Sir Christopher Meyer, then Chairman of PCC, about Peter Hill, editor at that time.
British journalist and documentary film-maker. In 2009, Atkins wrote and directed a film, Starsuckers, about press treatment of celebrities and the selling of false information to press outlets. Gave evidence to the Inquiry of the off-the-record accounts he had been given about the working practices of tabloid journalists.
Baggott was Chief Constable of the Leicestershire Constabulary at the time of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, when Leicester police took up a liaison role with their Portuguese counterparts. Gave evidence to Leveson about the intense press speculation around the case and the police effort to contain it. Also gave evidence on the relationship between press and police in Northern Ireland, where he served from 2009 to 2014.
At the time of giving evidence in 2011, Bailey was Chief Executive of Trinity Mirror publishers, a post to which she was appointed in 2003. Following allegations of hacking, Bailey launched an investigation into the ethics and procedures in place within Mirror Group's publications, she told the Inquiry. In 2012, following substantial drops in circulation and profits, she was asked by Trinity Mirror to resign. During her time at the Mirror, she told the Inquiry in 2011, authorisation of payments, expenses and the costs of pursuing stories were delegated to editors of the Mirror titles. The use of private investigators was banned after the convictions of Clive Goodman and Glenn Mulcaire. She was asked what she would know of stories pre-publication, replying that she would have been told, for example, of a famous model's alleged use of cocaine, or a politician's affair, "so that they would not come as a surprise" to her the next day.
At the time of giving evidence, Baker was Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary having been appointed in 2009. Gave details of his personal experience with the media while carrying out this role, as well as reflecting on the relationship of the Essex Police, where he had been Chief Constable from 2005 to 2009. He kept records of all contacts, he said, and accepted no hospitality beyond tea, coffee or water.
Editor of the Financial Times at the time of the Inquiry. Testified regarding ethics and procedures in place within his publication. Gave his personal view that the PCC code "needs to be enforced before it is substantially amended... In the case of phone hacking it clearly was not enforced."
Chairman of Telegraph Media Group, a subsidiary of Press Holdings and responsible for The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph. He told the Inquiry he believed in “self-regulation”.
Barnett, of Cheshire Police, was president of the Police Superintendents' Association of England and Wales at the time of the Inquiry, an elected role which he took up in 2010. Gave testimony on the Association’s guidelines with regard to the press and told the Inquiry that police officers had become more nervous about talking to journalists.
Professor of Communications at the University of Westminster at the time of giving evidence and an experienced independent commentator on journalism and media policy issues. He was also at that time acting as specialist adviser to the House of Lords Select Committee on Communications for its inquiry into Investigative Journalism, having also advised the same committee in its inquiry into News and Media Ownership in 2007-08. Gave his views on the Editors' Code of Practice and lessons that could be learned from broadcasting regulation.
At the time of the Inquiry, Battle was Head of Compliance at Independent Television News (ITN), having worked as a lawyer in broadcasting since 2001. He previously worked at the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday and Today newspapers.
Belcher made a statement at the Inquiry on behalf of Trans Media Watch, a charity dedicated to improving the media coverage of trans or intersex issues. Belcher was a founder of the organisation and is a long-term campaigner for British transgender rights.
Director and co-owner of Ferrari Press Agency Limited, a freelance news agency based in Kent at time of Inquiry. Ferrari specialised in providing images, news and real-life features to national newspapers. Described the procedures and safeguards in place at the time.
Head of Media and Marketing for British Transport Police from 2006, Bird was asked to testify on the relationship between the Transport Police and the media and on practices concerning CCTV footage.
