The royal editor of the News of the World faces two years in jail after admitting invading the Royal Family’s privacy by hacking into messages left on the mobile telephones of their staff.
Clive Goodman, 48, apologised to the Prince of Wales, Prince William and Prince Harry for a “gross invasion of privacy” when he appeared at the Old Bailey yesterday.
Glenn Mulcaire, 35, a private detective who worked with Goodman, also admitted hacking into voicemails left on phones belonging to a senior politician, a model, leading figures in the footballing world and a publicist.
The case has raised questions about the number of journalists prepared to adopt illegal and underhand techniques to gather information and create stories.
Advertisement
The prosecution did not open its case yesterday and the exact details surrounding the case remain unclear.
The royal reporter, currently suspended from the paper, was arrested after his gossip column featured a small article revealing details of a knee injury that Prince William had suffered.
Goodman, through his barrister, John Kelsey-Fry, QC, issued an apology yesterday.
As the journalist sat in the dock, Mr Kelsey-Fry said: “He wishes through me to take the first opportunity to apologise publicly to those affected by his actions.
“He accepts they were a gross invasion of privacy and Mr Goodman accepts that this characterisation is correct.
Advertisement
“He therefore apologises unreservedly to the three members of the royal household staff concerned and their principals, Prince William, Prince Harry and the Prince of Wales.”
Andrew Coulson, the News of the World Editor, also apologised to the princes and said that the paper would make a donation to a charity of their choosing. “As the Editor of the newspaper, I take ultimate responsibility for the conduct of my reporters,” he said.
“Clive Goodman’s actions were entirely wrong and I have put in place measures to ensure that they will not be repeated by any member of my staff.” A decision on Goodman’s future at the paper, which is owned by News Corporation, the parent company of The Times, has yet to be made.
Goodman and Mulcaire admitted conspiring together between November last year and August this year to intercept messages left on the phones of Helen Asprey, the personal secretary to the Prince of Wales, Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, the ex-SAS officer who is private secretary to Princes William and Prince Harry, and Paddy Harverson, the communications secretary at Clarence House.
They are named as victims on 14 alternative counts which were ordered to lie on file after the guilty pleas to the single conspiracy charge.
Advertisement
Mulcaire admitted five charges of unlawfully intercepting voicemail messages left for Max Clifford, the publicist, Sky Andrew, the football agent, Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers Association, Simon Hughes MP and Elle Macpherson, the Australian model. Goodman, from Putney, and Mulcaire, from Sutton, both in southwest London, will be sentenced in the new year.
Ordering presentence reports and granting Goodman and Mulcaire unconditional bail, Mr Justice Gross said: “I am not ruling out any options.”
The case was considered such a serious breach of security that it was handled by the AntiTerrorist Branch. After the investigation Prince William and Prince Harry were advised to use mobile phones sparingly.Clarence House declined to discuss the case.
The targets
Advertisement
Elle Macpherson
As one of the most photographed women in the world, Elle “the Body” Macpherson is still perfect tabloid newspaper material and her appearances in films and Friends have kept her in the public eye
Sky Andrew
The former Olympian and winner of three Commonwealth gold medals set up his management and PR firm more than a decade ago after becoming agent for the footballer Sol Campbell. He now represents several Premiership stars
Simon Hughes
Advertisement
During this year’s leadership contest, Hughes admitted having had gay and straight sexual relations Britain’s most famous and powerful public relations guru
Max Clifford
Clifford, 63, has been responsible for making and breaking the careers of politicians, sports stars and celebrities, as well as brokering deals with tabloid editors for sensational stories, including Will Carling’s flirtatious relationship with Diana, Princess of Wales
Gordon Taylor
Chief executive of the Professional Players’ Association, a union that helps football stars to broker lucrative contracts. Said to be one of the highest-paid union leaders