Former Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan: Heather Mills tape source ‘confidential’

Heather Mills, the former wife of singer Sir Paul McCartney, has said in a statement that she never disclosed private voicemail messages from her ex-husband to former Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan.

Heather Mills

It comes after the former tabloid editor, now an interviewer for American broadcaster CNN, told the inquiry on Tuesday he had listened to a voicemail message left to her by Sir Paul.

Mr Morgan, who firmly denied any knowledge of hacking under his editorship, refused to say when or where he had heard the message – because he wanted to protect “a source”. He said he had no reason to believe phone hacking was going on.

Ms Mills said she would be “more than happy” to answer any questions the inquiry had for her about the subject.

CNN said it was “seeking a response to the Mills statement from Morgan”.

View the Video of Piers Morgan under questioning

James Hipwell, who was jailed in 2006 for writing about firms whose shares he owned, said he witnessed repeated privacy infringements at the paper.

Publisher Trinity Mirror has insisted its journalists work within the law.

It has also said they work within the Press Complaints Commission’s (PCC) code of conduct.

On Wednesday, Mr Hipwell told the inquiry he had never been given a copy of the code during his time at the paper, under Mr Morgan’s editorship.

He said he never heard reference to the code, and said there were no visible signs of ethical leadership.

In a statement read to the inquiry, he stated: “I witnessed journalists carrying out repeated privacy infringements using what has now become a well-known technique – to hack into the voicemail systems of celebrities, their friends, publicists and public relations executives.

“The openness and frequency of their hacking activities gave me the impression that hacking was considered a bog-standard journalistic tool for gathering information.”
Source: BBC