Leveson’s anger as MP questions him over lawyers’ affair
THE architect of controversial plans to regulate Britain’s 300year- old free Press appeared furious yesterday as he was questioned by MPs about an affair between two senior lawyers at the heart of his inquiry.
Sir Brian Leveson told a Commons committee that a complaint about a barrister working for the inquiry, who began an affair with another lawyer representing celebrities complaining about the Press, was being considered.
As the Government prepared to unveil the latest version of its Royal Charter to enshrine a new system of regulation,
‘I understand a complaint was made’
Sir Brian told MPs and editors struggling to agree on the way forward: ‘This is your problem, not mine.’
He reacted with anger as he was repeatedly questioned about when he first heard of the relationship between mother of two Carine Patry Hoskins, who is now divorced, and David Sherborne, a barrister representing advocates of draconian Press regulation.
Sir Brian snapped ‘ Pardon? Pardon?’ as a Conservative MP reacted sceptically to his assertion that he did not even hear rumours of the affair during the inquiry hearings. Questioned by Philip Davies, the judge insisted that he had learned of their relationship only in March of this year – after Miss Patry Hoskins had finished work on the inquiry, for which she questioned more than 50 witnesses.
Critics called for a probe into whether t he relationship between Miss Patry Hoskins and Mr Sherborne could have compromised its findings.
A professional code of conduct suggests affairs between opposing lawyers should be avoided lest the perception be created of ‘a danger of a breach of confidence or other conspiracy’.
Mr Sherborne, who represented Hugh Grant and other celebrity victims of phone hacking, went on holiday to the Greek island of Santorini with Miss Patry Hoskins in August last year.
The visit took place while the inquiry was being conducted, although the couple claim they simply discussed the ‘possibility of a future relationship’ and ‘decided against it’. They say they changed their minds later and became a couple after the inquiry ended in December.
Sir Brian has flatly rejected any suggestion that his report into Press standards may have been tainted by the relationship.
Yesterday he refused to comment on claims that the affair represented a conflict of interest, saying: ‘I understand that a complaint has been made to the Bar Standards Board about Miss Patry Hoskins.’ The judge was breaking a long silence over his recommendations having been summoned by Parliament to give evidence.
In hours of sometimes heated exchanges with MPs, Sir Brian repeatedly insisted it would be wrong for a judge to take a view on what has become a deeply contentious political issue.
But he told the Commons Culture Committee: ‘The regime that I proposed does not in any way impact the freedom of the Press to publish anything it wants.’