Leveson says ‘affair’ did not affect press report

Lord Justice Leveson has rejected fresh claims that a counsel for the inquiry, who reportedly had a relationship with a barrister representing celebrities, may have influenced the conclusions in his report on press standards.

Lord Justice Leveson said Ms Patry Hoskins' role was limited to the 'largely mechanical' exercise of organising the evidence. Picture: PA

Tory MP Rob Wilson claimed legal notices warning the press of likely criticisms they would face drafted by Carine Patry Hoskins were “substantially similar” to the findings in the report.

But Lord Justice Leveson said Ms Patry Hoskins’ role was limited to the “largely mechanical” exercise of organising the evidence and not in setting out the criticisms of the press contained in the letters.

In a letter to the judge, Mr Wilson had claimed similarities between the “Rule 13” warning letters and the final conclusions meant the authors of the notices – including Ms Patry Hoskins – “may have had considerable input into sections of the report, for example that dealing with the generic criticisms of culture, practices and ethics of the press”.

He also demanded to know what the judge’s “understanding of the nature of the personal relations” between Ms Patry Hoskins and David Sherborne was at the time the letters were written.

Mr Sherborne, who represented Hugh Grant and other phone hacking victims, reportedly went on holiday with Ms Patry Hoskins last year before the inquiry ended.