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Former Daily Mail editor tells trial he stopped use of private investigators

Paul Dacre stated in the High Court that he ceased using unlawful methods of gathering news.

Paul Dacre, the former editor of the Daily Mail, testified in the High Court that he took immediate action to halt any unlawful newsgathering practices at the newspaper upon discovering them.

Paul Dacre wearing a formal black coat, white shirt and turquoise tie. He is carrying a wad of white documents under his left arm. he is outdoors. Behind him is black railing and a brick wall of a building

The court case, which involves seven claimants, including Prince Harry and Sir Elton John, alleges that Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, committed serious breaches of privacy.

During his testimony on Wednesday, Dacre acknowledged the possibility that private investigators hired by the newspaper may have employed unlawful methods to obtain information.

Dacre was questioned about his response to an investigation by the Information Commissioner's Office into the activities of private investigator Steve Whittamore, who pleaded guilty to data protection breaches in 2005.

The investigation revealed that Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail, had made more extensive use of Whittamore's services than any other newspaper group.

Dacre currently serves as the editor-in-chief of DMG Media Ltd, the parent company of ANL.

On Tuesday, Dacre denied allegations of unlawful newsgathering by journalists, describing them as "preposterous" and stating that he "utterly refutes" the claims.

Dacre had previously defended the actions of Associated Newspapers during the Leveson Inquiry into press standards 14 years ago, where he was questioned about the newspaper's use of private investigators to gather information.

On Wednesday, Dacre denied lying under oath during the 2012 inquiry when questioned by the claimants' barrister, David Sherborne, about stories allegedly obtained through phone hacking.

The court was presented with emails between freelance journalist Greg Miskiw and former Mail on Sunday associate editor Chris Anderson from 2006, which included transcripts of voicemails between actor Sadie Frost and her nanny.

Miskiw, who is now deceased, had offered a story about a dispute between Frost and her nanny, and the emails suggested that the voicemails had been obtained by phone hacker Glenn Mulcaire, a close associate of Miskiw.

Although the story was not published by the Mail on Sunday, Miskiw received a payment of £500 for the story.

Sherborne argued that this was evidence of phone hacking, but Dacre countered that it was merely an example of Miskiw trying to secure work from the newspaper.

Dacre suggested that the payment may have been a "kill fee" to prevent the story from being published in another newspaper, and noted that he was not editor of the Mail on Sunday at the time.

As editor of the Daily Mail, Dacre stated that he was not aware of the details surrounding the payment, but suggested that it may have been a legitimate payment to prevent the story from being published elsewhere.

At the time, the Mail on Sunday and the Daily Mail were separate operations, although both were published by Associated Newspapers.

Dacre testified that the realization that unlawful activities may have been occurring at the newspaper "came as a surprise" to him, and he subsequently asked an executive to investigate the matter.

Although it was challenging to fully investigate the extent of Whittamore's involvement with Daily Mail journalists, Dacre claimed that he took steps to "put a stop" to the practice.

In 2007, Dacre banned the use of "inquiry agents" (private investigators) by his journalists.

Dacre stated that his focus was on educating his journalists and the industry about the importance of adhering to the Data Protection Act.

He acknowledged that his journalists had used private investigators to obtain ex-directory phone numbers of individuals they were writing about, but argued that this was a relatively minor infraction.

Dacre explained that using private investigators to obtain phone numbers was a common practice, and that it may have been justified in certain cases where there was a public interest.

The court heard that using private investigators allowed journalists to obtain phone numbers without having to manually search through phone books.

Dacre denied allegations that an experienced crime reporter on the Daily Mail, Stephen Wright, had paid private investigators for stories related to the Stephen Lawrence murder investigation.

The court was presented with handwritten payment requests from Wright totaling £1,500 for "special contacts" related to one story about the case.

Dacre defended Wright's work, stating that he had done "brilliant" work that helped bring two of the Lawrence killers to justice.

Sherborne asked Dacre if the use of private investigators had actually ceased following his ban in April 2007.

In a sometimes tense exchange, Sherborne suggested that several journalists had continued to pay private investigators and freelance journalists for unlawful information despite the ban.

One example cited by Sherborne involved royal correspondent Rebecca English receiving the precise aircraft seat number of Chelsy Davy, the then-girlfriend of Prince Harry.

Dacre claimed that he was "totally unaware" of this incident and noted that airlines had previously been willing to provide such information to journalists.

Dacre argued that paying freelance reporters for information was a common practice and not necessarily unlawful.

He explained that newspapers often pay for stories, but noted that this should not involve paying public officials for information.

Dacre stated that news gathering requires securing information, and as long as this is done lawfully, it is acceptable.

The claimants' barrister, David Sherborne, has faced criticism from the judge, Mr Justice Nicklin, for asking questions that exceeded the scope of the case.

On Tuesday, Sherborne was accused of attempting to turn the trial into a public inquiry, and on Wednesday, he was given a time limit for cross-examining Dacre, who left the witness box shortly after 15:00 GMT.

The trial is expected to conclude in March, with a written judgment to be issued at a later date.

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Keanu Reeves’ John Wick Video Game Revealed at PlayStation Event

The iconic hitman has made previous appearances in games, however, the version developed by Saber will mark the first instance where the character is voiced by Reeves.

A video game adaptation of the John Wick franchise, which has grossed over $1 billion worldwide, is in development, with Keanu Reeves set to lend his likeness and voice to the project.

An in game screenshot of a video game version of Keanu Reeves as the character John Wick. He is wearing a suit and looking at the camera.

The game, currently titled "Untitled John Wick Game", is being developed by Saber Interactive, the studio behind Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, in collaboration with Chad Stahelski, director of the John Wick film series.

A trailer for the game, expected to serve as a prequel to the film series, was unveiled during PlayStation's "State of Play" event on Thursday.

The event also featured announcements for remakes of several major game franchises, including the God of War trilogy, as well as a special 30th-anniversary edition of the classic platformer Rayman.

The John Wick film series, which has earned over $1 billion globally, follows the story of a retired assassin, played by Keanu Reeves, as he seeks vengeance in a world of high-stakes action.

Although the character of John Wick has appeared in games before, this will be the first time Keanu Reeves has provided his voice for the role.

Reeves has previous experience in the gaming industry, having played a key role in the hit game Cyberpunk 2077 as the character Johnny Silverhand.

According to Matthew Karch, CEO of Saber Interactive, the development team is "honored" to be working with Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves to bring the John Wick universe to life in a AAA game.

The game's story will be an original narrative designed for mature audiences, featuring a mix of familiar characters from the film series and new ones.

Jenefer Brown, president of global products at Lionsgate, the producer of the John Wick films, expressed the company's goal of capturing the "intense action" and "distinctive fight choreography" that define the franchise.

The reaction to the game's announcement has been largely positive among fans on social media.

However, some fans have expressed concerns about the potential impact on Saber Interactive's other projects, including the long-awaited remake of the classic Star Wars game Knights of the Old Republic.

Christopher Dring, editor-in-chief of The Game Business, believes that the John Wick game is a strong fit for Saber Interactive, given the studio's experience with action-oriented IPs and its ability to release multiple games across various genres.

Dring notes that Saber Interactive operates as a collective of studios working on multiple IPs, allowing it to release a diverse range of games annually.

During the same event, Sony announced that Santa Monica Studios is working on remakes of the first three God of War games, building on one of the platform's most successful franchises.

An in-game screenshot of Silent Hill Townfall. We see the back of a man who is looking at a sign that says "Welcome to St. Amelia". — Konami's trailer for Silent Hill Townfall revealed it is set in St Amelia, a "fictional island inspired by Scotland"

Although a release date for the God of War remakes was not provided, Sony did announce a surprise side-scrolling prequel game, Sons of Sparta, which is available now.

The event also offered a first look at Townfall, the latest installment in the Silent Hill series, set on the fictional island of St. Amelia, which draws inspiration from Scotland.

A 30th-anniversary edition of the classic platformer Rayman was also announced, featuring five versions of the 1995 game, along with a near-immediate release.

Loic Gounon, brand producer for the Rayman games, discussed the anniversary edition with the BBC, highlighting the inclusion of a new documentary that explores the making of the original game, as well as accessibility features designed to enhance the experience for modern players.

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Tottenham set to appoint temporary boss ahead of permanent summer hire

Tottenham expect to appoint an interim manager to oversee the team for the rest of the season by this weekend, with plans to make a permanent appointment in the summer.

The task of finding a successor to Thomas Frank has fallen to Johan Lange and Vinai Venkatesham, who are overseeing the selection process.

Tottenham Hotspur intends to appoint an interim manager to see out the current season, with a view to making a more permanent appointment during the summer months.

The dismissal of Thomas Frank occurred earlier this week, at a time when the team was five points clear of the relegation zone.

According to sources close to BBC Sport, Tottenham Hotspur is expected to finalize an agreement with an interim manager before the team resumes training on Monday.

Following their early exit from the FA Cup in the third round, Tottenham has a nine-day break before facing Arsenal in the north London derby on February 22.

With no match scheduled for this weekend, the first-team squad has been given a brief break and is set to return to training on Monday.

The club is aware that the mid-season transfer window presents limited options, and it may be more feasible to secure a long-term manager at the end of the campaign.

An in-depth examination of Thomas Frank's tenure reveals the challenges he faced in winning over players and fans.

A closer look at Frank's time at Tottenham highlights the risks involved in his appointment and the ultimate failure of his tenure.

Although the search for an interim manager is still ongoing, the successful candidate will be considered for the permanent position if they perform well in the role.

Former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is a potential candidate to take the reins on a permanent basis, particularly since his contract with the US men's national team is set to expire after the World Cup this summer.

Another candidate being considered is Roberto De Zerbi, who recently parted ways with French club Marseille by mutual consent.

For the latest news, analysis, and fan perspectives on Tottenham, please refer to our dedicated section.

If you have any questions about Tottenham, feel free to ask and we will do our best to provide you with the information you are looking for.

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Aberdeen to unveil new manager soon with Docherty set to take assistant role

Aberdeen has bolstered its interim management team with the return of Tony Docherty, who previously served as an assistant manager, to support Peter Leven, amid anticipation of a permanent appointment announcement that sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel had indicated would be made “imminently”.

Ross County parted ways with Tony Docherty in December, and he has now taken on a new role.

Aberdeen have brought in former assistant manager Tony Docherty to support Peter Leven's interim management team, despite sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel indicating that a permanent appointment was imminent.

Docherty's return to Aberdeen comes just a week after Eirik Horneland, a former coach of Rosenborg, Brann, and Saint-Etienne, emerged as a top contender to succeed Jimmy Thelin, who was sacked earlier.

As Aberdeen delays making a full-time appointment, speculation surrounding Eirik Horneland's availability has arisen, with reports suggesting the 50-year-old Norwegian may not be able to take on the role until summer.

Since Jimmy Thelin's dismissal on January 4, Lutz Pfannenstiel has been leading the search for a replacement, and he confirmed that Tony Docherty would be joining the team to assist Peter Leven during the interim period.

Dundee Utd are facing a challenging schedule, with four matches in 14 days set to take place on a weather-affected pitch.

According to Stavrum, Eirik Horneland's coaching style, characterized by intensity, would be a good fit for Aberdeen.

Tony Docherty initially joined Aberdeen in 2013 as part of Derek McInnes' management team and spent eight years at the club.

Before his stint at Aberdeen, Docherty served as McInnes' assistant at Kilmarnock and later managed Dundee and Ross County, but his time at Ross County ended in December when he was let go with the team at the bottom of the Championship.

Lutz Pfannenstiel praised Tony Docherty's experience, stating that he has a deep understanding of the club and will be a valuable asset during the transition period.

Pfannenstiel highlighted Docherty's extensive knowledge of the Scottish Premiership, gained through his experience as both a coach and manager, which will be beneficial to the team in the short term.

The club's managerial search is nearing its conclusion, and an announcement regarding the new head coach is expected soon, according to Pfannenstiel.

Peter Leven, who is serving as caretaker manager for the third time, expressed his enthusiasm for Tony Docherty's appointment.

Leven welcomed Docherty's return, stating that his experience will be a significant boost to the team, particularly during the upcoming matches.

Leven noted that Docherty was eager to join the team and that his presence will provide valuable support during both training sessions and matches.

Eirik Horneland left his position at Saint-Etienne in early February, at which point his team was fourth in France's second tier.

If Aberdeen decides to wait until summer for Horneland to take over, it will be similar to the six-month delay that occurred when Jimmy Thelin joined the club from Elfsborg in the summer of 2024.

For the latest news, analysis, and fan perspectives on Aberdeen, visit our dedicated page.