Journalists on trial: the tallyUpdated December 11, 2015
The CPS has today announced that it is calling a halt to its phone hacking investigation and that there will be no charges against Mirror executives who have been on police bail or under investigation. Nor will there be any corporate charges against News UK. The trials from Operation Weeting, which dealt with phone hacking at the News of the World, and Operation Elveden, which investigated payments of public workers for stories, were completed in October. The investigations spawned by the scandal of July 2011 are therefore at an end. Below is a round-up of the results Guilty pleas Phone hacking Dan Evans, Sunday Mirror and News of the World. Ten months' jail, suspended for a year. 200 hours community service Graham Johnson, Sunday Mirror. Two months, suspended for a year. Ian Edmondson, News of the World. Eight months Neville Thurlbeck, News of the World. Six months Greg Miskiw, News of the World. Six months James Weatherup, News of the World. Four months, suspended for a year. 200 hours community service Jules Stenson, News of the World. Four months, suspended for a year. £5,000 fine. 200 hours community service Paying officials Dan Evans, Sunday Mirror and News of the World. As above Cautioned Computer hacking Patrick Foster, Times Convictions Phone hacking Andy Coulson, News of the World. Eighteen months Paying public officials Anthony France, Sun. Eighteen months, suspended for two years, 200 hours community service Handling stolen mobile phone Nick Parker, Sun. Three months, suspended for a year Acquittals Phone hacking Rebekah Brooks, News of the World Stuart Kuttner, News of the World Neil Wallis, News of the World Paying public officials Rebekah Brooks, News of the World Clodagh Hartley, Sun Nick Parker, Sun Duncan Larcombe, Sun John Troup, Sun Tom Savage, Daily Star John Kay, Sun John Edwards, Sun Geoff Webster, Sun Fergus Shanahan, Sun Neil Millard, Sun Graham Brough, Daily Mirror Brandon Malinsky, Sun Chris Pharo, Sun Jamie Pyatt, Sun Perjury Andy Coulson, News of the World Handling stolen mobile phone Ben Ashford, Sun Cleared on appeal Paying public officials Lucy Panton, News of the World, sentenced to six months, suspended for a year, with 150 hours community service and three-month tagged curfew. Conviction quashed because of judge's misdirection. CPS decided not to seek retrial Ryan Sabey, Sun, given leave to appeal before sentencing. Conviction quashed because of judge's misdirection. CPS decided not to seek retrial Hung juries Paying public officials Andy Coulson, News of the World. No retrial Clive Goodman, News of the World. No retrial Graham Dudman, Sun. No retrial Chris Pharo, Sun. Some charges abandoned. Cleared of one on retrial Jamie Pyatt, Sun. Some charges abandonded. Cleared of one on retrial Ben O'Driscoll, Sun. No retrial Tom Wells, Sun. No retrial Vince Soodin, Sun. No retrial Cases abandoned before coming to trial Phone hacking James Scott, Sunday People Mark Thomas, Sunday People Nick Buckley, Sunday People Tina Weaver, Sunday Mirror Lee Harpin, Mirror Group Newspapers Paying public officials Greg Box Turnbull, Mirror Stephen Moyes, Sun Lucy Panton, News of the World (second case) Perjury Douglas Wright, News of the World Bob Bird, News of the World Computer hacking Alex Marunchak, News of the World |
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Sources still face trial - and jail
The CPS has decided not to proceed with the trials or retrials of nine journalists investigated under Operation Elveden, but it is continuing with cases against sources working in the public sector.
In its statement on April 17, the CPS said that it had prosecuted 28 public officials and secured 21 convictions relating to the sale of information for a total of about £180,000. Defending its approach to journalists who paid public sector sources, the CPS said that it had previously decided that it would not be appropriate to proceed against 14 journalists. See the CPS statement here 
We should not delude ourselves that the public sees tabloid journalists as guardians of free speech or democracy - however valid and valuable their work. Any sympathy for those in the dock from outside our community comes down to the perception that they and their sources have been betrayed to save Murdoch's empire and Rebekah Brooks.
Are we seeing justice for journalists?
If Parker is guilty, Harding and Brooks must be too Trials and tribulations 
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