Phone hacker Dan Evans spared jail after cutting deal over prosecution of Andy Coulson

 
Free: former News of the World reporter Dan Evans (Picture: PA)
Paul Cheston25 July 2014
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A former News of the World phone hacker was spared jail today because of a "unique" deal cut with the police and prosecutors.

Dan Evans had brought an overnight bag to the Old Bailey and expected to be spending his first night in high security Belmarsh prison tonight.

He had pleaded guilty to phone hacking at both the NoW and the Sunday Mirror as well as paying police and prison officers for stories and telling lies in a court document.

In all Evans estimates to have hacked 200 people's phones and listened to around 1,000 voicemails.

But he agreed a deal with Crown prosecutors to give evidence against former NoW editor Andy Coulson in the long running trial.

Mr Justice Saunders said he was rewarding him because he was the only NoW reporter prepared to co-operate - then and possibly in future trials.

Instead of imposing a 24 month sentence the judge reduced it to a suspended term of 10 months and ordered him to do 200 hours of unpaid work in the community.

"I would not have done that had Evans not made a clean breast of his involvement," the judge told the reporter whose face showed no emotion.

"You can take your overnight bag and go. Thank you."

The judge said that the police had found it "difficult if not impossible" to get any newspaper person to give evidence about phone hacking.

"While I have no doubt it was not done openly it must have been known about by more people than have been prepared to give evidence about it in court," he said.

"Why so few people have been prepared to give evidence in court about what went on is not for me to say, but it makes Evans' position unique."

Evans, 38 of Kilburn, pleaded guilty to two charges of intercepting voicemails, conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office and perverting the course of justice by making a false witness statement in the High Court about hacking fashion designer Kelly Hoppen's phone.

Evans admitted paying for information about a police raid on the home of EastEnders actor Steve McFadden.

He also pleaded guilty to paying a prison officer for details of Soham double murderer Ian Huntley's mental condition.

The court heard that NoW emails in March 2010 showed that Evans had access to a "top cop snout" who was providing information about a search for firearms at the home of McFadden, who played Phil Mitchell in the TV soap.

An article was later published in the paper headlined "Lethal weapon" about the search and a £750 payment made through a third party to a serving officer who was later jailed for 14 months.

In April 2008 further emails revealed Evans had "access to a screw at Frankland prison, Durham, home of Ian Huntley."

The school caretaker was serving a life-means-life sentence for the murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman and was said to be suffering from depression.

An article later appeared headlined "Tormented Huntley in jail death plea" and a £400 payment was made through a go-between.

In November 2008 Evans came up with another story about Huntley allegedly loving Strictly Come Dancing, but this did not appear in the paper.

Earlier Mr Justice Saunders entered formal not guilty verdicts against four men who worked for Rebekah Brooks after she was sacked as chief executive of News International.

Security guard Lee Sandell, Brooks's chauffer Paul Edwards, and her NI security guards, Daryl Josling and David Johnson had been accused of conspiring with her and others to conceal documents, computers and other devices from police in July 2011.

The alleged conspiracy had also involved Brooks' husband Charlie, and head of security Mark Hanna in a cover up operation dubbed Black Hawk.

The security guards passed messages between each other saying "Broadsword calling Danny Boy", and "pizza delivered and the chicken is in the pot", the court heard.

It was said to involve the alleged destruction of evidence at the Brooks' Oxfordshire home and the dumping of bags of laptops, letters and mobile phones by bins at the Chelsea Harbour home, including Charlie Brooks' 1970s lesbian porn.

After Mr and Mrs Brooks, and head of security Mark Hanna were cleared last month, Mr Bryant-Heron said the prosecution would offer no further evidence.

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