News

News

Express and Star newspapers admit using PI Whittamore until 2010

12/01/2012

Express and Star Newspapers were still using the services of a private investigator until 2010, the Leveson Inquiry heard today.Nicole Patterson, head of legal at the group, was questioned over invoices from J.J. Services, a company run by Steve Whittamore.She told inquiry counsel Robert Jay she did not know whether Whittamore, found guilty of obtaining and disclosing information under the Data Protection Act in 2005, was still used by her newspapers.Jay said this was surprising, given the “cloud hanging over” the private investigator.The documents shown in court mentioned celebrities including Charlotte Church, Davina McCall, and the late Jade Goody. Patterson said the invoices had been reviewed but it was “impossible to marry up a story with a source” in most cases.They also showed a project under the name "Rothermere".The inquiry heard that payments made to J.J. Services ranged from £176 to £2687. Patterson said the total amount spent on information services from 2000 to 2010 was £115,000, and payments for “basic computer searches for names and addresses” were “very small amounts for very little work”.She added: "More often than not it was £75, £80, £100. It's very little money compared to our total spend."Patterson told the inquiry that Express titles had used Whittamore about 65 times, and the Star four times.Express Newspapers launched an internal investigation into phone-hacking and “blagging” in 2011. Patterson said she had seen “no evidence” to suggest phone-hacking had taken place.

Download the full report:

Download report

Queries: campaign@hackinginquiry.org

related Posts

Notes from the Campaign Trail: August 2026 Update
Personal reflections from Jacqui Hames on a period of political upheaval — and hope for the new Prime Minister
8/1/26
News
Mandy Garner to Andy Burnham: We Deserve Better
In an open letter to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Mandy Garner asks him to turn his warnings about a 'dangerous' lack of accountability into action — on the press, the justice system and public inquiries.
7/24/26
News
'What I Experienced Was Pure Evil': Why Tulisa Is Launching the 'Fix the Press' Campaign
Hacked Off backs Tulisa Contostavlos as she launches her 'Fix the Press' campaign and petition for independent press regulation.
7/22/26
News
Jacqui Hames: The Mail has not been exonerated. Evidence of unlawful behavior remains, and the need for Leveson 2 is as strong as ever.
To people like Paul Dacre, and his colleagues at the Daily Mail and The Telegraph, press freedom means the freedom to publish falsehoods, disinformation and private information about anyone whose lives, they believe, will titillate their readers and sell them more newspapers.
7/8/26
News