The private detective at the centre of the phone hacking scandal is denying that he is protecting News International by disputing an Order to expose who from the News of the World instructed him to access voicemails.
Glenn Mulcaire said any claim was ‘completely wrong’ that he is defending his former employer. A three day hearing started at the supreme court in London on Tuesday 8th May.
The private investigator is challenging a Court Order to explain which person at the News of the World instructed him to hack Nicola Phillips phone, who is the former PR consultant to Max Clifford.
Mulcaire released a statement just prior to the supreme court hearing on Tuesday, he said ‘This appeal is being heard because I have been advised by my legal team from the outset that I should not have to give potential incriminating answers to questions asked of me in the phone hacking cases in the High Court. I bring it for no other reason.
‘All the steps taken by my legal team in respect of the civil claims against me are to protect my legitimate legal interests. Any suggestion that I am bringing this appeal, or defending the civil claims, to protect the company I used to work for, or anyone at that company, would be completely wrong.
Counsel for the private detective, Gavin Millar QC informed five senior law lords at the supreme court of the following, ‘the decision to pursue this appeal is Mr Mulcaire’s and his alone’.
It would appear the phone hacking scandal is far from over, what with the Leveson inquiry ongoing and the challenge by Mulcaire, it looks as if this is going to be in the news for some time to come.
The sooner some sort of regulation is put in place for private detectives in the UK the better it will be for the industry as a whole.