Born 1957. Journalist and author and former press secretary to Tony Blair as Leader of the Opposition (1994-97) and as Prime minister (1997-2000). From 2000-2003, he was director of communications for the Labour Party (2000-03). Before 1994, he had been political editor of Today newspaper and the Daily Mirror. Campbell gave detailed testimony on the political media and what he saw as the decline of genuine investigative journalism and the increasing tendency of owners, editors and senior journalists to wish to be political players. Embellishment and pure invention were tolerated and encouraged by some editors and owners, he said.
Actor, comedian, victim of phone hacking by the News of the World and a leading figure in legal actions against the newspaper. He told the Leveson Inquiry that "lurid" details of his private life appeared in the News of the World after he was set up by that paper's former editor. Coogan gave extensive evidence of intrusive stalking and photographing by the Daily Mirror and Sunday Times. He said he had witnessed journalists rummaging through his rubbish bins. He had also been the victim of several kiss-and-tell stories and detailed how the women in question had been fooled and sometimes bribed into giving stories. At the heart of the problem, he thought, was the lack of accountability on the part of the editors and owners.
A retired schoolteacher, Jefferies was landlord to Joanna Yeates, who was murdered in Bristol in December 2010. Jefferies was the subject of multiple libels in national newspapers, for which he sued and received damages.
Born 1965. Australian media personality, entrepreneur and politician who rose to prominence in Australia and UK as a paparazzo. Lyons owned celebrity photo agency Big Pictures, which often faced legal action relating to invasion of privacy and harassment from celebrities including Sienna Miller, Lily Allen, JK Rowling, Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Hurley. The company went in to liquidation in 2012 and Lyons returned to Australia, where he became Mayor of Geelong from 2013 to 2016.
English journalist and Senior Vice President of Splash News and Picture Agency. Morgan's evidence submitted to the Inquiry detailed the hierarchy, setup and quality assurance measures in place at the agency.
A Core Participant Victim, the Harry Potter author challenged news publishers over intrusion into her private life on numerous occasions. Gave evidence of snatched photos of her family and her residence.
At the time of the Inquiry, Greener had been the Daily Star's Picture Editor for 9 years, having been at the paper for more than 20. Told the Inquiry that he tried to ensure that all pictures used were taken ethically and honestly. Was asked specifically about pictures of Hugh Grant's baby and said he was content that the pictures had been taken in a public place and not in a context that could be deemed private. Star photographers abided by a strict moral and ethical code, he said.
Features Editor for The Sun at the time of giving evidence. Joined the paper's "Bizarre" desk in 2003 as a showbiz reporter. Following a short break at The Mirror, Hamilton returned to The Sun in 2009 as Deputy Showbiz Editor, before joining the Features department in 2010. Was asked about ethical practices and said that these had been recently strengthened but that he had occasionally felt under pressure to "generate content". There was a grey area between the public interest and protection of privacy, he said, citing examples of hard decisions he had been asked to make.
Editor-in-chief of the Manchester Evening News and Trinity Mirror Huddersfield at time of giving evidence. Was questioned on the Lord Black proposals for self-regulation based on contractual obligations. Decisions on this would not be his responsibility, he said. The decision would be taken by Trinity Mirror's senior management. Gave his view that the relationship with the Press Complaints Commission had worked well for the regional press.
Photographer and Daily Star picture editor at the time of the Inquiry. Has also worked with Daily Star, Daily Star Sunday, Daily Express, and OK! magazine. Subsequently worked on a freelance basis with Daily Mirror after founding independent media publishing company Hungrydog Media. Labrum gave his views on ethics of photographing celebrities and their children.
Owner of the luxury residential spa chain Champneys, which became controversial after it was revealed that the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson had enjoyed a 20-night stay while recovering from an operation and that Neil Wallis, the former Executive Editor of the News of the World arrested (and later cleared) as part of the phone-hacking scandal, had worked as a PR for both Champneys and the Met. Purdew told the Inquiry that he was unaware of any relationship between the two men.
Former CEO of now-defunct paparazzi picture agency Big Pictures. In his evidence to the Inquiry, Regan declined to comment on allegations, published in The Guardian, that "a senior employee at Virgin Atlantic" had "passed private flight details of celebrities" to Big Pictures.
Paparazzi photo agency founded by Darryn Lyons in 2002. Gave evidence in 2012 and later that year went into administration. Lyons told Inquiry that Big Pictures had “no code of practice document or manual” but relied on the integrity and scrutiny of its staff to obtain and shoot pictures appropriately. Denied “upskirting” Charlotte Church or having photographers follow Kate McCann.
LA-based entertainment news and photography agency, founded 1990, providing candid celebrity photography and video content to worldwide entertainment print, online and broadcast media outlets. Gary Morgan, Senior Vice President of Splash News and Picture Agency at the time, gave evidence on quality assurance measures in place at the agency.
