News International chiefs were only fully aware of the “seriousness” and extent of phone hacking at the News of the World because of Sienna Miller, Rebekah Brooks said today.
She told MPs in the Culture, Media and Sport committee: “Since the Sienna Miller civil documents came into our possession at the end of December 2010 that was the first time that we, the senior management of the company at the time had actually seen some documentary evidence actually relating to a current employee.”
Brooks added: “Part of the drip-drip effect of this is because we only see it during a civil procedure and then we act on that accordingly.”
The outgoing News International chief executive, who resigned on Friday, said she believed the company had acted “decisively” since they became aware of the practice, however she admitted to mistakes in the past.
“Since then we have admitted liability on the civil cases, endeavoured to settle as many as possible.”
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She said she was “aware” payments were made to private detectives. However she said she had "never" heard of Glen Mulcaire until 2006.
Pressed if she had ever paid police, Brooks said in her experience most information from officers came "free of charge".
"I can say that I have never paid a policeman myself. I have never knowingly sanctioned a payment to a police officer. If you saw, at the time of the Home Affairs Select Committee recently, you had various crime editors from Fleet Street discussing that in the past payments have been made to police officers. I was referring to that wide held belief, not a widespread practice."
Her appearance came directly after Rupert Murdoch told ministers that he was "ashamed" about what happened at News of The World, which Brooks once edited.
Murdoch and his son James, who looks after News Corporation's Europe and Asia interests, made no attempt to implicate Brooks and both said they stood by her.
She also expressed deep regret, saying she found the hacking of murdered teenager Milly Dowler's phone abhorrent and had not heard the claims until they appeared in the media. She added she knew no one who would believe it "a right and proper thing to do".
"I think that was probably the most shocking thing I'd heard for a long time and certainly the most shocking thing I'd heard about potential journalists who worked for News International."
The evidence session came as the Conservative party admitted Neil Wallis may have informally advised Andy Coulson while he was employed by Prime Minister David Cameron.
If true the revelation will be a major blow to Cameron, who has come under fire for employing Coulson, former editor of the News of The World, as his chief media adviser.
Neil Wallis, a former deputy editor of the paper, was later employed by the Metropolitan police as a PR adviser and was arrested by police earlier this month over the phone hacking scandal.
Labour said the news raised "serious concerns" about David Cameron's judgement in appointing Coulson.
"He must now come clean about Neil Wallis’ role and activities in supporting Andy Coulson, both in his capacity as Director of Communications for the Tory Party, and then the Prime Minister.”