Phone hacking: Neville Thurlbeck says ‘truth will out’

Former News of the World senior reporter breaks silence, saying he ‘took no part in the matter which led to his dismissal’ Neville Thurlbeck, the former News of the World chief reporter, has sensationally broken his silence on the phone-hacking scandal, saying he “took no part in the matter which led to his dismissal”. In his first public statement since he was arrested and bailed for alleged phone hacking in April, Thurlbeck said the “truth will out” and “those responsible will eventually be revealed”. In a clear shot across his former employer’s bows, Thurlbeck claimed there was “much I could have said publicly to the detriment of News Interntional”, but had so far chosen “not to do so”. Thurlbeck had applied for “interim relief” at an employment tribunal hearing scheduled to be heard on Friday but pulled out late on Thursday. His solicitor Nathan Donaldson, employment partner at DWF, also issued a statement on Friday confirming that Thurlbeck was continuing his action against News Group Newspapers, the News International subsidiary that published the News of the World, “for unfair dismissal and whistleblowing”. The Guardian revealed more than two years ago the existence of a “for Neville” email – believed to be a reference to Thurlbeck – sent to private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, which contained a transcript of messages left on a mobile phone belonging to Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive Gordon Taylor. The “for Neville” email contradicted the defence that News International had maintained until late 2010, that phone-hacking was limited to Mulcaire and one “rogue reporter” on the News of the World, former royal editor Clive Goodman. Both were jailed in early 2007 for phone-hacking offences. Thurlbeck was due to attend an “interim relief hearing” about his unfair dismissal claim on Friday, but withdrew because the “issues to be determined by the employment tribunal will require key individuals within the News Group Newspapers being cross-examined”. His solicitors added that “unfortunately” Friday’s hearing was limited to “a review of papers” and because of this “procedural limitation” Thurlbeck and his legal team decided to withdraw. They wanted to ensure the benefits of a full hearing where “complete disclosure” from the parties would be made. The 49-year-old former chief reporter at the News of the World was sacked by Rupert Murdoch’s News International earlier this month, prompting him to sue his former employer for unfair dismissal. “Scotland Yard has now made me aware of the reason for my dismissal, a reason which News International has withheld from me for almost a month,” Thurlbeck said, in a statement issued by his solicitors that shows he is fighting back against his former employer. “For legal reasons, I am unable to go into the reason cited. However, I will say this. I took no part in the matter which has led to my dismissal after 21 years of service,” he added. “I say this most emphatically and with certainty and confidence that the allegation which led to my dismissal will eventually be shown to be false. And those responsible for the action, for which I have been unfairly dismissed, will eventually be revealed.” Thurlbeck also claimed that for more than two years, News International had accepted he was not responsible for the matter in question and there was “no valid or reliable evidence now to support their sudden volte face. At the length, truth will out.” Thurlbeck also said he would “fight my case to the end” and accused News International of “giving ‘off the record’ briefings” to the press. “This has compelled me to speak for the first time since my name became linked to the phone hacking scandal through the ‘For Neville’ email more than two years ago,” he said. “I would request that

Posted by on September 30, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.