A former policeman-turned private detective says he shadowed 90 people, including Prince William for News of the World. Derek Webb has said he started working for the paper shortly after setting up his private detective agency in 2003, and they paid him right up until July. James Murdoch’s meeting tomorrow just got even more interesting.

Amongst figures like Prince William and former attorney general, Lord Goldsmith, Webb also bizarrely followed Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe’s parents.

Others included football manager, José Mourinho, and Prince Harry’s on and off again ex-girlfriend, Chelsy Davy. London mayor, Boris Johnson, also didn’t escape the predacious spying.

Webb said he was also instructed to follow two lawyers that were representing phone-hacking victims in an operation to pressure them to stop their investigations. One is now going to sue News International as a result.

Speaking to the BBC’s Newsnight, Webb said:

I was working for them extensively on many jobs throughout that time. I never knew when I was going to be required. They phone me up by the day or by the night … it could be anywhere in the country.

Like a James Bond movie, Webb would receive instructions as to whom to follow from several News of the World journalists, either by phone, or as packages containing photos or addresses.

Webb didn’t admit to actually hacking any phones, but said he did typical detective stuff:

Basically I would write down what they were wearing at the time, what car they were in, who they met, the location they met, the times – the times were very important – and I would keep that.

And then I would transfer part of it into my diary, but not the actual log itself. Just the names of the people. I don’t feel ashamed. I know to a certain extent people’s lives have been ruined with front page stories but… if I wasn’t doing it, somebody else would have been.

News of the World owed Webb some money, and after what Rupert Murdoch paid Rebekah Brooks, it’s hardly surprising he wants his money.

A News International spokesman wasn’t chuffed by the damning revelations:

We are not able to make any comment around the specific work carried out by Derek Webb. As is well known, The News of the World was closed by News International during the summer.

However, Jules Stenson, past News of the World features editor, said:

You’re only hearing a very slanted story and you’re hearing no context to these investigations.

The Press Complaints Commission has said it will examine the full details of the new claims, and has asked News International to explain its take on what’s been claimed by Webb.

[Source: BBC]