The News of the World's Clive Goodman yesterday pleaded guilty
to plotting to intercept phone messages involving the royal family
and currently awaits sentencing. Another man, Glenn Mulcaire, also
pleaded guilty to the same charge.
"More than 300 journalists are implicated in this illegal
activity," said a spokesman for the Information Commissioner's
Office (ICO). "We have given them a clear warning that we will not
hesitate to take action if they are suspected in future of
committing offences."
Goodman admitted to tapping into the answering machines of
mobile phones that belonged to staff of the Prince of Wales and his
son Prince William. It is thought to be a common practice among
journalists who either tap into phones themselves or pay others,
such as private detectives, for information obtained in this
way.
The Information Commissioner wants existing offenders to face
the toughest penalties, and wants the government to mandate even
stiffer fines and jail terms.
"Earlier this year we drew attention to other illegal
methods some journalists use to obtain personal information in our
report, 'What Price Privacy?'," said the ICO spokesman.
"Information obtained improperly, very often by means of deception,
can cause significant harm and distress to individuals."
"The Information Commissioner has called for
prison sentences of up to two years for people who take part
in this illegal trade in buying and selling people's personal
information. The current penalties under the Data Protection
Act are not a sufficient deterrent to stop this lucrative and
widespread illegal trade. In response the Department for
Constitutional Affairs launched a consultation on stiffer
penalties."
The Old Bailey heard yesterday how Glenn Mulcaire, the former
footballer who is now a private detective and was Goodman's
co-accused, accessed voicemail messages left by publicist Max
Clifford, footballer Sol Campbell's agent, the chairman of the
Professional Footballers' Association, MP Simon Hughes and model
Elle Macpherson.
The ICO said that it would publish a follow up report to its
initial inquiry into the sale of personal information before
Christmas detailing what progress had been made on the issue. It
also said that Goodman is being charged under the Regulation of
Investigatory Powers Act rather than the Data Protection Act, which
governs the ICO.
