Phone hack inquiry told of police questioning

Two employees of a mobile phone network were questioned by police in connection with the phone hacking scandal, the Leveson Inquiry into media standards was told.

An unnamed man, whose phone was allegedly hacked after he began a relationship with a well-known figure, said two members of staff had spoken to officers in connection with a “breach of security”.

In his written statement, the man – referred to as HJK – said he understood the employees had been “paid to provide information”.

“I was contacted by my mobile telephone provider, who explained to me that my account security had been compromised and that I was on a list of individuals who they had been told to contact,” he said.

“I questioned the woman from my mobile phone provider about this list of individuals – she said that she was very busy contacting all those on the list – and it was clear that most of those she was contacting were well-known, as she said she had wondered who I was, given that I appeared on the list.”

The man, who gave his evidence anonymously, said he met the “well-known figure” in early 2006 while doing charity work and the pair started dating.

Weeks later, a journalist asked him about the budding relationship. The male, who says he is “not well-known”, said he denied knowing the well-known figure – referred to as X.

In 2010, he met officers from Operation Weeting and was shown documents from the original 2006 investigation which led to the imprisonment of private investigator Glenn Mulcaire and News of the World’s former royal editor, Clive Goodman. HJK said that notes in Mulcaire’s notebook held HJK’s details, including his address, phone numbers, passwords and information about HJK and X.