Britain - Hugh Grant Secretly Tapes News Of The World Phone Hacking Whistleblower Paul McMullen

Murdoch advertisers get nervous over hacking claims Reuters 21:58 BST

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Audio tapes have been released of secret recordings made by Hugh Grant during a conversation with a whistleblower in the News of the World phone-hacking scandal.

The tapes were made following a chance meeting with Paul McMullen after Grant's car had broken down in Kent.

McMullen gave Grant a lift to where he was going to and then invited him "to drop into his pub" sometime in Dover - during the journey phone-hacking was the only topic of conversation.

Grant claims to be a victim of phone-hacking.

In an article written for the New Statesman, Grant said he accepted the offer to find out more about the scandal and thought "it might be more fun if I secretly taped him".

In one excerpt from the tape Grant asked McMullen if he had been "leant on by the News of the World, News International, since you blew the whistle".

McMullen: "No, they've kept their distance. I mean, there's people who have much better records - my records are non-existent. There are people who actually have tapes and transcripts they did for Andy Coulson."

Grant: "And where are these tapes and transcripts?"

McMullen: "In their drawers and their offices..."

Grant: "Do you think they've been destroyed?"

McMullen: "No, I'm sure they're saving them till they retire."

Andy Coulson - the former editor of the News of the World - has always denied any knowledge of phone-hacking activities at the paper.

In another excerpt, the former journalist claimed some police officers gave information to journalists.

McMullen: "So the police don't particularly want to investigate."

Grant: "But do you think they're going to have to now?"

McMullen: "I mean - 20% of the Met has taken backhanders from tabloid hacks. So why would they want to open up that can of worms?...And what's wrong with that, anyway? It doesn't hurt anyone particularly. I mean, it could hurt someone's career - but isn't that the dance with the devil you have to play?"