'News of the World targeted Abi Titmuss and John Leslie’s mobile phones'

 
Abi Titmuss and John Leslie: hacking trial has been told the pair's phones were targeted
12 November 2013
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The mobile phones of showbiz couple Abi Titmuss and John Leslie were targeted the day after he was “outed” as the alleged rapist of Ulrika Jonsson, the Old Bailey heard today.

The Swedish TV presenter had claimed she had been raped in her autobiography in 2002 but refused to name the attacker, the jury was told.

Former Blue Peter presenter John Leslie was “outed” on live TV by talk show host Matthew Wright on October 23.

Mr Leslie was later charged with sex offences against two women but these charges were later dropped by the prosecution. He was never charged with the alleged rape of Ms Jonsson.

Notes dated the following day were later found by police at the home of private investigator Glenn Mulcaire with the name of John Leslie and the words “do both mobiles,” the court heard.

The note was a “tasking” by News of the World news editor Greg Miskiw with a “direct instruction to ‘do both phones’,” the jury was told.

Another note was also found of Abi Titmuss’s mobile number in a list of phone numbers including some of Mr Leslie’s family and contacts.

Further notes by Mulcaire dated in 2004 and bearing the name “Greg” recorded both Leslie and Titmuss’s mobile numbers, the court heard.

A total of 15 further undated notes found at Mulcaire’s home related to Mr Leslie and/or Ms Titmuss, the jury was told.

Jonathan Laidlaw QC, representing Rebekah Brooks the former editor of the NoW, said that despite the number of notes bearing Mr Leslie and Ms Titmuss’s name and numbers found at Mulcaire’s home there was no “direct evidence” that hacking had taken place.

He said there was no noting of a phone pin number giving access to voicemails or tapes or transcripts of any messages.

In a statement read to the court Mr Leslie said that 2002 was “a traumatic time in my life when I was accused by the media of being Ulrika Jonsson’s rapist followed by allegations of drug taking.”

He went on: “Women came forward to the papers. I remember the NoW taking a big interest in me and at one stage I was in the paper every week.

“Coverage of my personal life was massive news in 2002/03 when I was in a relationship with Abi Titmuss.”

Miskiw and Mulcaire have pleaded guilty to phone hacking.

Former NoW editors Rebekah Brooks and Coulson are accused of conspiracy to intercept voicemail communications with Edmondson and Stuart Kuttner, the paper’s former managing editor. All eight defendants in the trial have pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The case continues.

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