Judge to decide on high-profile victims’ role in hacking inquiry

A JUDGE will decide what part the parents of Madeleine McCann, Lord Prescott and other people who have featured in high-profile cases should play in a judicial inquiry into media ethics and phone hacking.

Lord Justice Leveson, who will head the inquiry in London later this year, heard applications yesterday from people and organisations who want to take part, including Kate and Gerry McCann, former Formula 1 boss Max Mosley, Chris Jefferies, the former landlord of alleged murder victim Jo Yeates, former deputy prime minister Lord Prescott, former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks, plus various newspaper groups.

Lawyers representing Sienna Miller, Jude Law, Hugh Grant, Paul Gascoigne and Steve Coogan also addressed the judge at a preliminary hearing.

The judge said he would make decisions on who would be “core participants” in the near future. He must also decide how much of the inquiry legal bill will be footed by the taxpayer – and said he would listen to funding applications from participants at a later date.

l More than 100 jobs are set to be axed at News International, it was announced yesterday. It is understood all departments at the Sun, the Times and the Sunday Times will be hit.