UK: Court told bisexual former Lib Dem MP’s phone hacked repeatedly
Ex-private investigator Glenn Mulcaire hacked bisexual former Liberal Democrat MP Mark Oaten’s phone 10 times, a jury has heard.
Mr Mulcaire intercepted Mr Oaten’s phone messages after the News of the World revealed he was in a same-sex relationship in January 2006, prosecutor Andrew Edis QC told the Old Bailey yesterday.
Mr Edis said: “Mark Oaten was a candidate for the leadership of the Lib Dem party, but at that time the newspaper detected a relationship between him and a young man, Ian Chadwick.
“Mr Oaten was married at the time – he may still be married today, I did not mean to imply anything by that – and the newspaper eventually got the story by paying Mr Chadwick £20,000.”
Mr Mulcaire “blagged” Mr Oaten’s phone details from Vodaphone and the politician’s voicemail was hacked 10 times, the court heard.
It was part of what the prosecution alleges was a conspiracy senior News of the World staff members were aware of against a range of public figures.
Mr Oaten stood down from Parliament at the 2010 general election.
The trial continues.
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