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The
parents of Madeleine McCann have been named as core
participants in the first stage of the inqui |
The parents of Madeleine McCann, actor Hugh Grant and Harry Potter
creator JK Rowling have been named as core participants in the first
stage of the inquiry into the phone-hacking scandal.
The parents of
Madeleine McCann, actor Hugh Grant and Harry Potter creator JK Rowling
have been named as core participants in the first stage of the inquiry
into the phone-hacking scandal.
They are among a
group of participants who will be represented by a barrister and have
the right to seek to cross-examine witnesses and make opening and
closing statements.
The group also
includes Formula 1 boss Max Mosley; Chris Jefferies, the former landlord
of alleged murder victim Jo Yeates; ex-England footballer Paul
Gascoigne; and Bob and Sally Dowler, the parents of murdered schoolgirl
Milly Dowler.
Inquiry chairman Lord
Justice Leveson granted core participant (CP) status for the first part
of the inquiry, which will look at the culture, ethics and practices of
the press and its relationship with the police and politicians.
The second part will
examine the extent of unlawful or improper conduct within News
International and other media and organisations - and consider the
police investigation of claims against News International and whether
police received corrupt payments.
Others in the group
of victims, who are likely to be represented by the barrister David
Sherborne, include serving Members of Parliament - Chris Bryant, Tessa
Jowell, Simon Hughes and Denis MacShane, and former MPs such as Lord
Prescott and Mark Oaten, who resigned as the Lib Dems' home affairs
spokesman in 2006 over an affair with a rent boy.
The world of
showbusiness will be well-represented with actress Sienna Miller, PR
guru Max Clifford, and model Abi Titmuss also listed in the group.
Football agent Sky Andrew, Coronation Street actress Shobna Gulati and
Christopher Shipman, son of mass murderer Harold Shipman, also made the
list.
The inquiry would not
be complete without involvement from media groups and core participation
status was given to News International Group Ltd (owner of the the News
of the World, the Sun, The Times and Sunday Times), Northern and Shell
Network (owner of the Express and Star titles), Guardian News and Media
(publishing company for the Guardian and Observer) and Associated
Newspapers (for the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday). The Metropolitan
Police was also given the status.
One omission from
those given CP status was Rebekah Brooks, the former editor of The Sun,
The News of the World and chief executive officer of News International.
Mrs Brooks was refused the status by Lord Justice Leveson, who said her
involvement was more focused on the second part of the inquiry,
The judge said: "Mrs
Brooks has very considerable knowledge and experience; I hope and
believe that her input into the inquiry will be of enormous value but,
at this stage and in the context of what I am presently required to do,
I do not consider that it is necessary or appropriate to designate her
as a core participant." He added Mrs Brooks's lawyer is able to apply to
ask questions and she can "apply to put in written submissions at the
end". |
