FormerMail on Sundayassociate editor Chris Anderson has denied buying illegally-sourced stories from phone hacker Greg Miskiw (pictured).
Emails exchanged between Anderson and Greg Miskiw in 2006 form a key part of theillegal newsgathering claim brought by Prince Harry and othersagainst Mail publisher Associated Newspapers in an ongoing privacy trial.
Miskiw was at the time apparently working as a freelance selling stories that had been illegally sourced by private investigator Glenn Mulcaire. Both were convicted of phone hacking for the News of the World some years later.
The privacy claimants allege that Mulcaire listened to actress Sadie Frost’s phone messages in April 2006 to reveal details of a private dispute with her nanny. They allege Mulcaire also sourced phone numbers and billing data relating to Frost.
They further claim that Miskiw used illegal methods to track down a man believed to be in a romantic relationship with the Liberal Democrat MP Simon Hughes,who had gone public about his sexuality in The Sun earlier in the year.
Hughes and Frost are among the claimants seeking damages from Associated Newspapers in the current privacy action.
An email between Miskiw and Anderson dated 20 April included direct quotes from Frost relating to the dispute. Miskiw then apparently provided addresses and a phone number for the nanny and Anderson responded: “Thanks Greg, we’re going to give her a knock.”
Claimant lawyers allege that Miskiw and Mulcaire unlawfully invaded the privacy of Hughes in order to identify and photograph his then boyfriend (identified only as HJK). Hughes said that HJK was subsequently doorstepped by an Associated Newspapers journalist following emails between Miskiw and Anderson.
No story was published in the Mail on Sunday about either matter.
The claimants quote another email sent by Miskiw to Anderson: “You did say you would stick me through for £500 for Simon Hughes and Sadie.” And they say Miskiw was subsequently paid £500.
Source: Press Gazette
