Alex Marunchak
Alex Marunchak is a former senior executive editor of the News of the World.[1]
Contents
Police interpreter
Marunchak worked as a freelance Ukrainian interpreter for the Metropolitan Police between 1980 and 2000.[2]
News of the World
In 1985, actress Susan Silvey accused Marunchak and another News of the World reporter, Annette Witheridge, of fabricating an interview with her, leading to the loss of an exclusive deal with the Sunday Mirror. The complaint was rejected by the Press Council.[3]
In 1987, Marunchak, Nicholas Lloyd, the then editor of the News of the World and News Group Newspapers lost a libel case to a barrister who had been detained by police at a 'blue film club' which he had visited while no films were being shown to assess evidence in an upcoming court case.[4]
In November 1995, Sue Harris, the newsdesk secretary of The People was "caught red handed by private detectives, meeting Alex Marunchak, associate editor of the Murdoch-owned News of the World. The detectives estimated that she had made pounds 25,000 out of her dealings" with News of the World. The incident was exposed shortly after Piers Morgan left the News of the World to edit the Daily Mirror.[5]
From 1996 to 2006, Marunchack worked in Ireland.[6]
Hurst email interception
According to the BBC's Panorama, Marunchak, received emails obtained via a trojan virus from the computer of Ian Hurst, a former soldier who had served in army intelligence in Northern Ireland. Hurst's computer was reportedly hacked by a former military intelligence colleague who passed the emails to Marunchak.[7]
The hacker was reportedly hired by two former police officers hired in turn as private detectives by Marunchak.[8]
The Daily Telegraph has claimed that Kevin Fulton was also hacked in the episode.[9]
External Resources
- Graeme McLagan, Journalists caught on tape in police bugging, The Guardian, 21 September 2002.
- Bill Rogers, Alex Marunchak, 14 July 2011.
- Dominic Ponsford, Marunchak: Tom Watson allegations 'absolutely untrue', Press Gazette, 1 March 2012.
- Alex Marunchak - Presumed Innocent, Brown Moses Blog, 3 September 2012.
- Martin Hickman, Exclusive: News of the World 'ordered burglary', Independent, 18 September 2012.
Notes
- ↑ Nick Davies, Phone hacking: Panorama to name sixth journalist in News of the World scandal, guardian.co.uk, 13 March 2011.
- ↑ Mark Hughes, Phone Hacking: News of the World executive 'worked as police translator', telegraph.co.uk, 19 July 2011.
- ↑ Newspaper report 'not fabricated' / Press Council reflects Susie Silvey complaint against News of the World,The Times, 19 August 1985.
- ↑ Frances Gibb, Recorder wins libel damages, The Times, 28 July 1987.
- ↑ Richard Brooks, TABLOID EXCESS REVEALED, The Observer, 26 November 1995.
- ↑ News of the World man worked for Met while editor of Irish paper, Belfast Telegraph, 19 July 2011.
- ↑ News of the World executive obtained hacked e-mails, BBC News, 14 March 2011.
- ↑ Mark Hennessy, Irish editor accused of spying on ex-agent, 15 March 2011.
- ↑ Police investigate new computer hacking claims linked to News International, The Telegraph, 16 July 2011.
