[July 05, 2011] ROUNDUP: British tabloid under fire for hacking murdered girl's phone Tweet LONDON, Jul 05, 2011 (dpa - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- British tabloid journalism research methods were in the spotlight once more Tuesday following allegations that a private investigator intercepted communications from a mobile phone of a teenager after she was abducted and killed in 2002. In a macabre twist to a long-running scandal over phone hacking, a tabloid newspaper owned by Australian media magnate Rupert Murdoch stood accused of illegally accessing the phone of Milly Dowler, after she was abducted -- and later killed -- in March 2002. A solicitor acting for her parents, Bob and Sally, confirmed Tuesday that they were suing the News of the World newspaper over claims that a private investigator working for the newspaper hacked into the schoolgirl's phone while police were searching for her. Solicitor Mark Lewis said the "heinous and despicable" actions gave the Dowler parents the "false hope" that their daughter could still be alive after voicemail messages on her phone were deleted in the days after she disappeared. "It is distress heaped upon tragedy to learn that the News of the World had no humanity at such a terrible time," said Lewis, adding that the actions could also have jeopardized the police investigations. Prime Minister David Cameron, speaking during a visit to Afghanistan, described the allegations as "truly dreadful" and "quite, quite shocking." The News of the World, which along with the Times and the Sun is owned by Murdoch's British operation, News International, promised a swift investigation of the "sickening" allegations. According to the Guardian newspaper, it is alleged that Glenn Mulcaire, a private investigator working for the News of the World at the time, illegally tapped the teenager's phone messages after she disappeared. As detectives searching for her topped up the phone, Mulcaire allegedly deleted voicemail messages to make room for more after the inbox filled up. A 43-year-old Briton was last month given two life terms for the abduction and murder of Milly. The Dowler parents were informed of the phone hacking allegations ahead of the trial by Scotland Yard, which is leading the hacking probe. News International said the allegations were of "great concern" and announced its own inquiry. Rebekah Brooks, the chief executive of News International, who was editor of the News of the World at the time, is in the spotlight over the allegations. In a statement Tuesday, Brooks said she was "sickened" that these "horrific" events were alleged to have happened when she was editor of the News of the World. She ordered a full investigation and said she would "pursue the facts with vigour and integrity." Brooks, a long-term protege of Murdoch's, said she was aware of the speculation about her position. However, she was determined to resolve these "serious issues," face up to mistakes and punish those responsible. Cameron's own press spokesman, Andy Coulson -- a former News of the World deputy editor -- resigned from his post as Cameron's communications chief earlier this year in connection with the scandal. In 2007, Mulcaire and the News of the World's royal editor, Clive Goodman, were given jail terms over allegations that they hacked into phone messages of royal aides -- including those working for Prince William. Since then, the scandal has spread to a string of politicians, celebrities and sporting figures, including actors Sienna Miller and Jude Law, and ex-footballer Paul Gascoigne. News International has publicly apologized to Miller and others, and offered generous financial settlements to those suing for damages. Scotland Yard is still investigating a number of cases, and litigation is ongoing in the High Court in London. To see more of dpa, go to http://www.dpa.de/English.82.0.html Copyright (c) 2011, dpa, Berlin Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]