Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Milly Dowler review 'won't halt inquiry'

 

Sam Marsden,James Edgar
Monday 09 January 2012 12:13 GMT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Lord Justice Leveson insisted today that his inquiry into press standards will continue whatever the outcome of inquiries into how Milly Dowler's voicemails came to be deleted.

A lawyer for Scotland Yard said in December it was "unlikely" that News International journalists erased messages from the schoolgirl's phone three days after she went missing in 2002.

The disclosure prompted criticism of the Guardian, which reported in July that the News of the World had deleted voicemails from 13-year-old Milly's phone to make room for new ones, giving her parents false hope she was still alive.

Lord Justice Leveson said today he had been given a submission from the Guardian about how it came to publish its original story.

He told the hearing he was "just about to receive" a review into the deletion of Milly's messages carried out by the Metropolitan Police with the help of Surrey Police.

The inquiry chairman said he intended this material to be made public, although some sections will have to be blanked out.

He added: "I can make it clear, however, that whatever the outcome of this new evidence I have no intention of suggesting either to the Home Secretary or to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport that as a result this inquiry is no longer justified."

PA

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in