Rebekah Brooks, the CEO of Rupert Murdoch’s UK company News Group Newspapers (NGN), has been accused of taking a “deeply concerning interest” in Tom Watson, a phone-hacking campaigner.
In a court document, Brooks allegedly told Will Lewis, the then general manager of NGN, that the company would “go for broke if Watson on – and Downing Street need to be warned”.
Lord Watson claims that NGN’s journalists targeted him overtly intending to dismantle his reputation and life.
A further email cited in Watson’s claim is from a senior reporter at the Sun to six colleagues in January 2011, including the then news editor, which is said by the Labour MP to typify the attitude at the company. It read: “Tom Watson must die.”
The case, jointly taken with Prince Harry, was settled in January with a payout for legal costs and damages reportedly said to be in excess of £10m.
NGN apologised to Watson for the unwarranted intrusion carried out into his private life during his time in government by the News of the World during the period 2009-2011. The company denied allegations that Watson was also a victim of phone hacking or other unlawful behavior by any of its employees or private investigators.
News Group Newspapers (NGN) denies that Brooks took a “deeply concerning” interest in Watson and that there was a concern in the company that he would not be impartial. NGN has denied allegations that Watson was also a victim of phone hacking or other unlawful behaviour by any of its employees or private investigators.
