Mail on Sunday defends use of private investigator

The Leveson Inquiry into ethics in the media has heard evidence from Mail on Sunday editor Peter Wright.

Mr Wright defended the paper's use of private investigator Steve Whittamore, who had been arrested in 2003 and jailed in 2005 for illegally accessing data and passing it on.

In a 2006 report, the Information Commissioner said the Mail on Sunday was among 22 newspapers that had regularly used private investigator Steve Whittamore to access illegally-obtained information.

Mr Wright said that he was alarmed when it appeared that Whittamore could have been using methods of which the newspaper would not have approved and sent a note to his staff instructing them to take "enormous care" when using Whittamore.