Phone Hacking Scandal/Police on the take

[AB Editor]

Morning all,

I just wondered what laws have been broken in the phone hacking scandal.

As far as I can tell there is: (based on news reports)

Bribery: the police taking money from Newscorp
Maybe something to do with privacy?: The accessing of celeb voicemail etc
Interfering with the course of justice: hacking phones of suspects, victims and their families during an on-going investigation.

Now, I am not sure if any of this is really against the law (except probably bribery?) - could you enlighten to me about what laws have been broken and whether court cases could be brought against the various parties?

Thanks in advance

Ab Editor

PS. please explain in way which could be understood by a very thick person such as myself.

[webbo3]

I'm not sure but it maybe covered in the same way as this law covering letters.

http://uk.answers.yah...20061023123702AABq6Sw

Dave.

[NoMercy]

I'm no expert on the law but surely hacking into someone's phone is not that different to hacking into their bank account or their medical records?

[AB Editor]

I'm not sure, I wondered if the data protection act would cover those, but maybe not your voicemail messages?

[ChuckFickens]

http://www.legislatio...pga/2000/23/section/1

[ChuckFickens]

It's not covered by data protection.

data protection only covers people who have lawful access to the data and is about how they treat the data.

[AB Editor]

Is it actually interception though? If the voicemail is still there. Or would it still count if you opened someone's letter than gave it to them - which I suppose is the underlying logic?

Ideas on sentencing guidelines?

So the private investigator is likely to be strung up - does this mean all the journos who pushed for this can "get away with it"?

[ChuckFickens]

Article 8 of the The European Convention on Human Rights would also cover it...

"Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence. "

[ChuckFickens]

"Is it actually interception though?"

Yes, of course it it. interception in telecommunication is basically just an unauthorised party listening to a message, the message can still be delivered to the intended recipient.

[jackthehat]

In the case of Milly Dowler, particularly, it appears that there were Voicemails which were listened to, discounted as being unimportant and then removed in order to make room for other potentially more 'interesting' ones.........by the 'Hacker'.

I imagine there are several laws, probably formulated as a response to the perceived 'Terrorist threat' which have been pushed through in recent times, and can be used against the main players in this dreadful matter.

[exdc]

Very basic summary

Telephone hacking is governed under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. Under privacy laws newspapers usually have a ‘public interest defence’ however this defence does not apply to information that has been gained through hacking, therefore the newspaper does not have a defence under RIPA 2000.

[NoMercy]

Even if no laws were actually broken, it was a morally indefensible act. I wonder if there was any case where the offender(s) perverted the course of justice?

[jackthehat]

I wouldn't be surprised if we don't see articles that Stuart James Campbell is applying to have his conviction for the murder of Danielle Jones looked closely at........given that his conviction was largely reliant on Mobile 'phone evidence.

This Hacking scandal has so many ramifications on so many, different, things....

[AB Editor]

Thanks everyone.

Does anyone think there is likely to be further repercussions for the NOTW staff?

Effects on the Murdoch BSkyB bid/takeover ruling?

[dotty.]

If no laws were broken, why was that other journalist jailed last time?

[jackthehat]

I'd like to think that heads will roll.......and that all other newspapers will be brought sharply into line...but I shan't hold my breath.

I don't think this will stop the Murdoch juggernaut. He'll sacrifice anyone who needs sacrificing in order to achieve his aims and pay lip-service wherever it needs paying.

[anotheoldgit]

Although it is all very upsetting to those victims and families by having their phones hacked, when has the ordinary man in the street normally been considered?

After all aren't we all surveyed everywhere we go by CCTV cameras.

No there are bigger fish involved in this affair.