International News
See other International News Articles
Title: 'Someone's Coming To Get Me': Terrified Phone-Hacking Whistleblower Feared For His Life
Source:
Daily Mail UK
URL Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art ... wer-feared-life.html?ITO=1490#
Published: Jul 19, 2011
Author: Sam Greenhill, Tom Kelly and James Chapm
Post Date: 2011-07-19 12:29:49 by Brian S
Keywords: None
Views: 11566
Comments: 26
The man who launched the entire phone hacking scandal had become a paranoid recluse who believed someone was out to get him, a friend has revealed. Sean Hoare, who was found dead at his flat in Watford, Hertfordshire, yesterday, had spent much of the last weeks of his life 'hiding' in his flat with the curtains drawn. Last night a friend and neighbour claimed Mr Hoare, 47, had become increasingly reclusive and paranoid in recent weeks. ‘He would talk about someone from the Government coming to get him,' he said. 'He’d say to me, “If anyone comes by, don’t say I’m in”. 'He was physically going downhill. He was yellow in colour and wasn’t looking well for the last month. ‘He had a constant struggle with alcohol and talked to me about how much he had put his wife through. ‘He did say something about phone hacking and I think that was his main worry. He had definite concerns with the media. He did mention he was paranoid and would mention conspiracy stuff.’ Former News of the World journalist Mr Hoare had accused former Tory media chief Andy Coulson of lying about his role in the affair. He said that when editor of the paper, Mr Coulson actively encouraged his staff to intercept the calls of celebrities. It was his explosive claims last autumn that reignited the scandal and ultimately led to the tumultuous events of the past fortnight which have shaken the political, police and media establishments. Police were investigating the possibility that he had killed himself, saying his death was ‘not thought to be suspicious’. His death came on a day when: Mr Hoare in the sitting room of his home. A friend and neighbour claimed Mr Hoare had become increasingly reclusive and paranoid in recent weeks Tragic: Police are investigating the death of Mr Hoare after his body was found at his Hertfordshire home The body of Mr Hoare, 47, was discovered by police yesterday morning at his modern first-floor flat in Watford. The former reporter blew the whistle during an investigation by the New York Times last September, pointing the finger directly at Mr Coulson, by then the Prime Minister’s communications chief. Until Mr Hoare spoke out in September, pressure had eased on Mr Coulson, recruited by David Cameron as his media chief in 2007 after resigning as editor of the News of the World when royal reporter Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire were jailed. Last week, Mr Hoare was back in the spotlight with further claims, telling the New York Times that reporters at the News of the World were able to use police technology to locate people using their mobile phone signals in exchange for payments to police officers. Mr Coulson, who quit Downing Street in January and was arrested over hacking earlier this month, has strenuously denied Mr Hoare’s allegations. Allegations: Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson was aware phone hacking took place at the paper, Mr Hoare claimed last year Last year Mr Hoare (right) claimed that Andy Coulson was aware of phone hacking while he was editor at the News of the World. He gave an interview to the New York Times, and then to the BBC, about the use of phone hacking at the newspaper. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's PM programme, he said phone hacking was 'endemic' in the newspaper industry. Mr Hoare, who worked on the Sun before being recruited by Mr Coulson to work on the NOTW, said: 'He was well aware that the practice exists. To deny it is a lie, simply a lie.' Mr Coulson denies the allegations. Later, Mr Hoare was interviewed by police over the allegations he had made but would offer no comment, Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer said in December. He issued a statement last year that he had ‘never condoned the use of phone hacking and nor do I have any recollection of incidences where phone hacking took place’. But Mr Hoare told Radio 4’s PM programme that phone hacking was ‘endemic’ at the newspaper and said of his former boss: ‘He was well aware that the practice exists. To deny it is a lie, simply a lie.’ Mr Hoare’s death remained unexplained last night. Police could not rule out suicide but friends suggested natural causes was also a possibility as he had been suffering from ill health. A post-mortem examination was taking place this morning as police continued to investigate the death. A Hertfordshire Police spokeswoman added: 'The man's next of kin have been informed and the family are being supported by police at this sad time.' Officers have yet to confirm arrangements for an inquest to be opened. His solicitor David Sonn said: ‘I last spoke to him a week ago and he seemed fine. I am shocked and saddened. It is a terrible tragedy.’ He added: ‘In giving his statement to the New York Times, he was arguably the catalyst for everything that has happened since.’ When Mr Coulson was made editor of the News of the World in 2003, he recruited Mr Hoare as a showbusiness reporter. Investigation: Forensic officers and a policeman at the flat of Mr Hoare They had previously both worked on The Sun’s showbusiness column Bizarre. One former colleague said: ‘At The Sun, they were absolutely the best of buddies. They used to go out to Covent Garden and socialise all night together. Andy would cover for Sean, or vice versa, if one of them was too hung over for work. ‘I last saw Sean at a do not all that long after he left the News of the World. He was looking very scrubbed and sober and I asked what he planned to do, and he said he wanted to get back into journalism but added, “Journalism has turned its back on me”.’ Mr Hoare was sacked from the News of the World over drink and drug problems in 2005, and last year sources at the paper said that his claims should be treated with ‘extreme scepticism’. But a friend who saw him more recently described him as ‘sober’ and wanting to rebuild his career.
SEAN HOARE'S CLAIMS
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 12.
#1. To: Brian S (#0)
THIS IS THE STORY. more.....8D
The moment I read the USAToday Version and that the Guardian is now Covering for Murdoch. Following: CIA/Pentagon worked with the FoXHackStory(News Of the World Victim AgitProp...
HERE 8D Craig Murray » Blog Archive » Sean Hoare Police Statement www.craigmurray.org.uk/ar...n-hoare-police-statement/ Jul 19, 2011 – Sean Hoare may indeed have died from natural causes, ... But unfortunately, the lies police told about Jean Charles De Menezes, the far too ...
# 7 July 2005 London bombings - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_July_2005_London_bombings - CachedSimilar The 7 July 2005 London bombings (often referred to as 7/7) were a series of co-ordinated suicide attacks upon the United Kingdom, targeting civilians using ... Attacks - The bombers - Investigation - Effects and response Å8; #
# Scandal-Plagued News of the World to Shut Down Sunday | The ... www.pbs.org/.../scandal-p...he-world-to-shut-down-s... - Cached Jul 7, 2011 – s James Murdoch has announced that the embattled tabloid News of the ... families of 7/7 London subway bombing victims and a 13-year-old ... # Police in UK now investigating possible involvement by Murdoch's ... tweetbe.at/progressives/trend/1mnIf-murdoch-s/ - Cached Breaking News: Police in UK now investigating possible involvement by Murdoch's man in hacking phones of 7/7 Subway Bombing victims ... #
Giuliani and Netanyahu WITHIN BLOCKS of each other and the Subway Blast. # Scandal-Plagued News of the World to Shut Down Sunday | The ... www.pbs.org/.../scandal-p...he-world-to-shut-down-s... - Cached Jul 7, 2011 – s James Murdoch has announced that the embattled tabloid News of the ... families of 7/7 London subway bombing victims and a 13-year-old ... Å8; # Police in UK now investigating possible involvement by Murdoch's ... tweetbe.at/progressives/trend/1mnIf-murdoch-s/ - Cached Breaking News: Police in UK now investigating possible involvement by Murdoch's man in hacking phones of 7/7 Subway Bombing victims ... #
and Netanyahu WITHIN BLOCKS of each other and the Subway Blast. Your link didn't work for me James. I think the link name is too long for the auto-link software here.
Doesn't matter. I just put it in to source. The key: Giuliani and Netanyahu WITHIN BLOCKS of each other and the Subway Blast. #Hackgate :Jean Charles de Menezes family wrote to David Cameron PM asking whether police leaked info to the press http://t.co/NXqxUyz
Okay, I found it and may have misremembered it after 6 years. Thanks again for the refresher news.
David Kelley ReDux. How many people would 3 PM's and Murdoch plow under to save their Careers....;} Reporter who broke UK phone hacking story found dead – reports ... www.newstalk.ie/.../reporter-who-broke-uk-phone-hacking-story-found-dead-reports/ - Cached Jul 18, 2011 – In the UK a former News of the World reporter who alleged Andy Coulson encouraged him to hack phones has reportedly been found dead.
#13. To: All (#12)
The Talking Clock: Sean Hoare: After Diana, Dr. David Kelly ... talking-clock.blogspot.co...diana-dr-david-kelly.html Jul 20, 2011 – Jean Charles de Menezes - at the time, he was an 'Islamist terrorist' wearing a suicide bomb belt shot by heroic cops. Only later did it emerge that he was simply an unarmed Brazilian who had ... So, good luck in selling Sean Hoare's death to the British ..... 13 hours ago. Adventures in Time Travel ...
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#2. To: All (#1)
#3. To: All (#2)
#4. To: All (#3)
#5. To: All (#4)
#6. To: All (#5)
#7. To: mcgowanjm (#6)
Giuliani
#8. To: Fred Mertz (#7)
#10. To: mcgowanjm (#8)
Doesn't matter.
#12. To: Fred Mertz, All (#10)
Replies to Comment # 12.
End Trace Mode for Comment # 12.
[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Mail] [Sign-in] [Setup] [Help] [Register]