Hacking was right, says Sky News chief

Sky News Chief John Ryley has admitted accessing the computer of “back-from-the-dead” canoeist John Darwin and his wife Anne, claiming to be acting in the public interest. There is, however, no such defence under computer misuse laws.

Ryley told the Leveson Inquiry, led by Lord Justice Leveson, that journalists have to consider breaking the law to “shed light” on wrongdoing. “Journalism is at times a tough business,” he said. “There may be an occasion. It would be very, very rare.”

“But at the end of the day you’ve committed a crime,” Leveson told Ryley.

Lord Justice Leveson said Sky might get away with it if prosecutors decide not to press charges.

The Daily Express reported that TV watchdog Ofcom launched an investigation into the hacking of private email accounts by Sky News.

John Darwin has been accused of faking his own death in 2002 to claim insurance money. Their conspiracy was exposed in 2007 after Darwin turned up at a London police station claiming to be a missing person and suffering from amnesia. He pleaded guilty to seven charges of deception, while his wife, Anne, faced six charges of deception and nine for money laundering.