The parents of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler, whose voicemails were intercepted by the News of the World, leading to the misconception that Milly had been receiving her messages and was therefore alive. The unearthing of this practice sparked the investigations and subsequent court action against those involved, which in turn led to the establishment of the Leveson Inquiry. Designated Core Participant Victims in the Inquiry.
A Core Participant in the Inquiry and a claimant in the voicemail-interception cases. Field was dismissed from her position as Head of Intellectual Property and Creative Services from accountancy and tax advisory firm Chiltern after being wrongly accused of leaking information about her client, Elle Macpherson, to the press. Stressed throughout her evidence that she thought highly of most of the press and did not wish press freedom to be curtailed or restricted.
The ex-wife of former England footballer Paul Gascoigne was designated a Core Participant Victim by the Inquiry. During and after her marriage, Ms Gascoigne and her children were the subjects of intense media scrutiny, she said. She had pursued libel cases against several national newspapers and been awarded damages. She gave evidence of "massive intrusion" into her family's private life and examples of six totally untrue stories printed about her in the Mirror, the Daily Star, the News of the World and the People. She received apologies, statements or costs and damages from all of them, she said, telling the Inquiry that after she had taken action the press treated her with more respect.
A retired schoolteacher, Jefferies was landlord to Joanna Yeates, who was murdered in Bristol in December 2010. Jefferies was the subject of multiple libels in national newspapers, for which he sued and received damages.
Member of the public who sought to draw attention to the security loopholes of mobile phone message services, in particular concerning the remote accessing of voicemails. Some 10 years before message-hacking became news, he alerted his phone company to the simplicity of hacking phone messages. When the company was reluctant to act, he spoke to journalists. In evidence to the Inquiry, he said that after contacting both the Daily Mirror and The Sun, he feared the press was deliberately keeping the issue secret in order to continue to access voicemails themselves. He contacted a variety of agencies, including the police and his MP, and ultimately started a website to promote the information.
Father of Diane and Alan Watson, who each died in separate, tragic circumstances. A Core Participant Victim, Watson argued that the press coverage of 16-year-old Diane's murder in the playground at school directly contributed to the later suicide of his son Alan. James Watson gave a brief statement to the Inquiry.
Mother of Diane and Alan Watson who both died in separate, tragic circumstances. Watson has argued that the press coverage of Diane's murder in the playground at school aged 16 directly led to the later suicide of their son Alan. She told the Inquiry that current defamation legislation left families of murder victims unable to challenge malicious falsehoods about the bereaved.
Born 1959. Canadian musician, photographer, philanthropist and activist. Adams was awarded the Order of Canada and the Order of British Columbia for contributions to popular music and philanthropic work via his foundation, which helps improve education for people around the world. He was a victim of a stalking episode in 2008 and stated in his evidence to the Inquiry that he suspected a link between evidence he gave the police and information subsequently printed in the press.
Chairman of the Hillsborough Family Support Group (established in the aftermath of the Hillsborough Disaster in 1989) and mother of James Aspinall, who died in the tragedy. Told the Inquiry of a meeting with The Sun where a "deal" was offered to the Group. If they publicly accepted The Sun's apology, The Sun would investigate the "lies" and build a sports field in Liverpool. The Group was appalled, Aspinall told the Inquiry.
Australian computer programmer and director, founder and editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks, an organisation he formed in 2006, dedicated to leaking hitherto secret information. Assange gave evidence of his dealings with the Press Complaints Commission and his complaints about the many false statements and libels of him in the press.
Father of Sam Banks, who died while holidaying in India in 2010. Banks gave evidence to the Inquiry regarding misreporting and unnecessary sensationalising of the death by The Sun. The paper's Managing Editor at the time apologised personally for a fabricated quote he said had been invented by a sub-editor.
Barrister and lecturer, married to former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and patron of The Cherie Blair Foundation for Women. In 2013, Blair was awarded damages for her claims against News of the World in relation to the unlawful interception of her voicemails. Had raised a number of complaints over the years with publications such as the Daily Mail about inaccurate and invasive reporting, evidence of which was presented to the Inquiry.
Solicitor, specialising in working with individuals and companies in managing unwanted media attention. He told the Inquiry that leaks under the guise of unnamed police sources could cause serious damage to individuals, citing the example of Parameswaran Subramanyan, a Tamil hunger striker. Though Mr Subramanyan had successfully sued the Daily Mail for the libel that he was in fact eating, Boyd related that he suffered significant damage to his reputation and received death threats.
Victim of misrepresentation in the British media, with false reports of her lifestyle and fashion choices. Cunliffe complained to the PCC with little response. She told her story to the Leveson Inquiry and was later given apologies by the Daily Mail and Guardian, who blamed the source of their story, having purchased the article from an agency. Told the Leveson Inquiry that the Express continued to run the story and had not responded to emails.
Sister of Finbarr Dennehy, whose death in 2007 was misrepresented and sensationalised in the press. She believed journalists broke many of the rules of ethics. She told the Inquiry that she believed the press needed a totally independent judicial body.
Parents of Christopher Edwards, who having been arrested in 1994 for breach of the peace was murdered in in his cell by a schizophrenic cellmate. Their statement to the Inquiry was to place on record that all journalists and news outlets they had had contact with in the aftermath of this event were more sympathetic and supportive than the official bodies with whom they had had to deal.
EVAW offered a submission to the Inquiry in December 2011, arguing that if the Inquiry did not "address culture, practice, ethics, standards and the public interest with regards to the reporting of violence against women" it would be incomplete.
Founded 1946. Organisation established to promote the interests of Poles living in the UK and to promote the history and culture of Poland among British people. Submitted evidence to the Inquiry of more than 50 incidents of hate crime around the country and their subsequent reporting in the local press.
Independent Bed and Breakfast owner, whose business was destroyed by defamatory articles printed about him, his wife and their business, by an undercover reporter in 1998.
Bed & Breakfast owner, who claimed an undercover reporter had destroyed her business with defamatory articles about her, her husband and their business in 1998. The two described themselves as "fair-weather naturists" but in a written statement claimed that the News of the World had visited and published exaggerated and false articles about the nature of their hospitality.