The UK Crown Prosecution Service said it was done investigating phone hacking at News Corp.- and Trinity Mirror-owned newspapers last month.
But, phone hacking victims want the CPS to reconsider its decision.
According to the Press Gazette, “The request for a review, from alleged victims of the phone-hacking being investigated under the Metropolitan Police’s Operation Golding, was disclosed in a letter to the Court of Appeal from specialist prosecutor Luke Dockwray of the CPS Organised Crime Division.”
Hacked Off, which “campaigns for free and accountable press” and “works closely with victims of press abuse”, made a “formal request to have the CPS Charging Decision reviewed,” the Press Gazette reported last month.
The CPS said it “looked in great detail at the comprehensive files submitted to us by the police, both in relation to corporate liability at News Group Newspapers and against 10 individuals at Mirror Group Newspapers for alleged phone hacking,” but decided against further investigations or prosecutions.
In a Dec. 11 statement after the CPS announcement, Hacked Off said it was “surprised and disappointed” by that decision against continuing the investigation of journalists for phone hacking.
“The civil cases have revealed widespread wrongdoing at several of the country’s biggest newspapers,” Hacked Off said. “This decision means that the companies which profited from criminal wrongdoing over many years will not be held accountable in the criminal courts.”
In a statement sent to iMediaEthics, Hacked Off said it didn’t want regular journalists, aka “foot soldiers,” getting in trouble for hacking while superiors “escaped prosecution.”
“Given what came out at the Mirror civil trial, and the whistle-blowers that came forward, it is surprising that the CPS are now claiming that there isn’t enough evidence to prosecute,” Hacked Off’s Dr. Evan Harris said. “The hundreds of people who were victims of illegal conduct by the Mirror were surprised and disappointed by this decision and there will be an appeal.”