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It was announced on 13 July 2011 that Leveson would lead the [[public inquiry]] into issues of media regulation raised by the [[News International phone hacking scandal]].<ref name="PhoneHack_appoint"/> On 20 July, Prime Minister David Cameron announced that the scope of the inquiry had widened to include the BBC and social media.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/jul/20/cameron-media-regulation-leveson-inquiry-bbc|title=David Cameron widens inquiry on media regulation to include the BBC|accessdate=23 July 2011|work=The Guardian |location=UK ||date=20 July 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14218911|title=Phone hacking: Cameron widens remit of Leveson probe|accessdate=23 July 2011|publisher=BBC News |date=20 July 2011}}</ref>
It was announced on 13 July 2011 that Leveson would lead the [[public inquiry]] into issues of media regulation raised by the [[News International phone hacking scandal]].<ref name="PhoneHack_appoint"/> On 20 July, Prime Minister David Cameron announced that the scope of the inquiry had widened to include the BBC and social media.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/jul/20/cameron-media-regulation-leveson-inquiry-bbc|title=David Cameron widens inquiry on media regulation to include the BBC|accessdate=23 July 2011|work=The Guardian |location=UK ||date=20 July 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14218911|title=Phone hacking: Cameron widens remit of Leveson probe|accessdate=23 July 2011|publisher=BBC News |date=20 July 2011}}</ref>


It was subsequently reported in the media that Leveson had attended two parties in the prior 12 months at the London home of [[Matthew Freud]], a PR executive married to [[Elisabeth Murdoch (businesswoman)|Elisabeth Murdoch]], the daughter of [[Rupert Murdoch]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/phone-hacking/8656131/Phone-hacking-inquiry-judge-attended-parties-at-home-of-Rupert-Murdochs-son-in-law.html|title=Phone hacking inquiry judge attended parties at home of Rupert Murdoch's son-in-law|accessdate=23 July 2011|publisher=The Telegraph|date=22 July 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23972388-investigate-james-murdoch-over-smoking-gun-email-urges-mp.do|title=MP calls for police to investigate Murdoch son over crucial email|accessdate=23 July 2011|work=London Evening Standard |location=UK ||date=22 July 2011}}</ref> These revelations led to a number of Labour MP calling for Leveson to be removed from the Inquiry.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/miliband-mulls-mps-demands-to-remove-hackinginquiry-judge-2319555.html|title=Miliband mulls MPs' demands to remove hacking-inquiry judge|accessdate=28 July 2011|work=The Independent|date=24 July 2011}}</ref>
It was subsequently reported in the media that Leveson had attended two parties in the prior 12 months at the London home of [[Matthew Freud]], a PR executive married to [[Elisabeth Murdoch (businesswoman)|Elisabeth Murdoch]], the daughter of [[Rupert Murdoch]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/phone-hacking/8656131/Phone-hacking-inquiry-judge-attended-parties-at-home-of-Rupert-Murdochs-son-in-law.html|title=Phone hacking inquiry judge attended parties at home of Rupert Murdoch's son-in-law|accessdate=23 July 2011|publisher=The Telegraph|date=22 July 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23972388-investigate-james-murdoch-over-smoking-gun-email-urges-mp.do|title=MP calls for police to investigate Murdoch son over crucial email|accessdate=23 July 2011|work=London Evening Standard |location=UK ||date=22 July 2011}}</ref> These revelations led to a number of Labour MP calling for Leveson to be removed from the Inquiry.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/miliband-mulls-mps-demands-to-remove-hackinginquiry-judge-2319555.html|title=Miliband mulls MPs' demands to remove hacking-inquiry judge|accessdate=28 July 2011|work=The Independent|date=24 July 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.presstv.com/detail/190403.html|title=Inquiry judge has links to Murdochs|accessdate=28 July 2011|work=Press TV|date=23 July 2011}}</ref>


==Personal life==
==Personal life==

Revision as of 15:55, 28 July 2011

Sir Brian Henry Leveson QC, (pronounced /ˈlɛvɨsən/;[1] born 22 June 1949 in Liverpool), styled The Rt Hon. Lord Justice Leveson,[2] is an English judge in the Court of Appeal and, since 2010, head of the Sentencing Council for England and Wales.[3]

It was announced on the 13 July 2011 that Lord Justice Leveson would lead the "Leveson Inquiry", a public inquiry into the regulation of the media prompted by the News of the World phone hacking affair.[4][5]

Early life

Born in Liverpool, he was educated at Liverpool College and Merton College, Oxford.[6]

Career

Leveson was called to the Bar at Middle Temple in 1970. He initially practised in Liverpool and took silk in 1986.[3] In 1989, he led the prosecution of Ken Dodd for tax evasion.[7] Dodd, who was represented by George Carman QC, was acquitted after a three-week trial.[8] Leading judge Sir Ronald Waterhouse QC later commented in an interview on Leveson's performance in the courtroom that "he lost the mood of the case, and he certainly lost the jury".[9] He went on to prosecute Fred and Rosemary West in 1995 for the murders at 25 Cromwell Street, Gloucester.[10]

Leveson became a Bencher in 1995,[3] acted as a Recorder between 1988 and 2000, and as a Deputy High Court Judge between 1998 and 2000.[3] In 2000, Leveson was appointed as a Judge of the High Court, Queen's Bench Division, and served as a Presiding Judge of the Northern Circuit between 2002–2005.[3] While sitting with Lord Justice Mantell in the Court of Appeal in 2002 under the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Woolf, he upheld the murder conviction of James Hanratty.[11] He also presided over the trial of ex-US Marine Toby Studebaker for charges relating to child grooming over the internet.[12] He refused to imprison 100-year-old Bernard Heginbotham, who was found guilty of euthanasia on his wife of 67 years, 87-year-old Ida, because she faced spending the remainder of her life in the dementia ward of a nursing home.[13] He also presided over the trial of Michael Barton, who was found guilty in 2005 of murdering Anthony Walker with an axe.[5]

In 2005, Leveson was appointed to the new position of Deputy Senior Presiding Judge and, in October 2006, he was made a Lord Justice of Appeal.[3] In November 2007, while sitting under the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, Lord Phillips and alongside Mr Justice Simon in the Court of Appeal, the three quashed the conviction of Barry George and ordered a retrial in relation to the murder in 2001 of BBC presenter Jill Dando.[14]

Public inquiry into media behaviour

Main article: Leveson Inquiry

It was announced on 13 July 2011 that Leveson would lead the public inquiry into issues of media regulation raised by the News International phone hacking scandal.[4] On 20 July, Prime Minister David Cameron announced that the scope of the inquiry had widened to include the BBC and social media.[15][16]

It was subsequently reported in the media that Leveson had attended two parties in the prior 12 months at the London home of Matthew Freud, a PR executive married to Elisabeth Murdoch, the daughter of Rupert Murdoch.[17][18] These revelations led to a number of Labour MP calling for Leveson to be removed from the Inquiry.[19][20]

Personal life

Leveson and his wife Lynne, who is also from Liverpool, are devout Jews.[21][22] The couple have three children and live in London.[23]

References

  1. ^ John Wells (19 July 2011). "John Wells's phonetic blog: Leveson". Phonetic-blog.blogspot.com. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
  2. ^ "The Rt Hon Lord Justice Leveson". Debretts. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Lord Justice Leveson appointed as Chairman of the Sentencing Council, 16 March 2010, Sentencing Council press release
  4. ^ a b Phone hacking: Prime minister reveals inquiry powers 13 July 2010, BBC News
  5. ^ a b Binham, Caroline (13 July 2011). "Leveson seen as 'steady pair of hands'". Financial Times. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
  6. ^ "Burke's Peerage – Preview Family Record". Burkes Peerage. 22 June 1949. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
  7. ^ Owen Bowcott, legal affairs correspondent. "Lord Justice Leveson: profile of phone-hacking inquiry chairman | Media". The Guardian. UK. Retrieved 25 July 2011. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  8. ^ "George Carman: The Bar's 'silver fox'". BBC. 2 January 2001.
  9. ^ Dominic Carman (14 July 2011). "Hacking inquiry judge is rigorous, independent, but not without flaws | Dominic Carman | Law". The Guardian. UK. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
  10. ^ "The horrific secrets of 25 Cromwell Street – News". The Independent. UK. Retrieved 25 July 2011. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  11. ^ 10:51 am BST 10 May 2002 (10 May 2002). "Hanratty conviction upheld". Telegraph. Retrieved 25 July 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ PA News (2 April 2004). "US marine jailed for abducting internet girl". The Times. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
  13. ^ "UK | England | Lancashire | Wife killer, 100, spared prison". BBC News. 8 July 2004. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
  14. ^ "George vs R. EWCA Crim 2722". British and Irish Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 14 December 2007.
  15. ^ "David Cameron widens inquiry on media regulation to include the BBC". The Guardian. UK. 20 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  16. ^ "Phone hacking: Cameron widens remit of Leveson probe". BBC News. 20 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  17. ^ "Phone hacking inquiry judge attended parties at home of Rupert Murdoch's son-in-law". The Telegraph. 22 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  18. ^ "MP calls for police to investigate Murdoch son over crucial email". London Evening Standard. UK. 22 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  19. ^ "Miliband mulls MPs' demands to remove hacking-inquiry judge". The Independent. 24 July 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2011.
  20. ^ "Inquiry judge has links to Murdochs". Press TV. 23 July 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2011.
  21. ^ "Media frenzy as Rosemary West faces murder jury". The Independent. UK. 4 October 1995. Retrieved 13 July 2011. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  22. ^ "Lord Justice Leveson to lead phonehacking inquiry". The Jewish Chronicle. 13 July 2011. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
  23. ^ Weston, Alan. "Liverpool-born judge Lord Justice Brian Leveson to lead inquiry into phone hacking scandal – Liverpool Local News – News". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 25 July 2011.

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