The inquest into the death of phone hacking whistleblower Sean Hoare was opened and adjourned today.
Mr Hoare, who claimed his former editor at the News of the World Andy Coulson was “well aware” of phone hacking on the paper, was found dead at his home in Watford on Monday.
The cause of the former Watford Observer journalist’s death has still not been ascertained, but examinations of the body confirmed it is “non-suspicious”, a Hertfordshire Police spokeswoman said.
A Hertfordshire County Council spokesman said the coroner was still waiting for histology and toxicology results.
Last year, Mr Hoare claimed in interviews that Coulson was aware of phone hacking while he was editor at the News of the World.
“He was well aware that the practice exists. To deny it is a lie, simply a lie,” he said.
Mr Hoare, who worked on the Sun before being recruited by Mr Coulson to work on the News of the World, also told the BBC Radio 4’s PM programme that phone-hacking was “endemic” in the newspaper industry.
Mr Coulson has consistently denied the allegations.
In December, Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer said police had interviewed Mr Hoare over his allegations but he would offer no comment.
Mr Coulson dismissed Mr Hoare from his job as a showbiz journalist on the NoTW over drink and drug problems in 2005.
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You would think that with the eyes of the world on this death,
they would have made more effort instead of saying his death is “non-malicious” within hours of finding his body. Could they not have waited until they had the results of tests and could answer questions like “Who did the post mortem?” Has he any connection to David Cameron or the News of the world etc..?
I imagine his death will make a big difference to Mr Cameron and Mr Coulson. He was the main witness to say that Mr Coulson was lying about knowledge of phone hacking. I think the panorama film is inadmissable because he is not here to be cross examined by the defence counsel. Is this the latest cover up?
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Jon Stewart’s Daily Show – a US audience of millions – doesn’t think Sean’s death is “non-suspicious” – how can a Police force in the middle of corruption scandal make such a fast and so-positive conclusion? At any death scene the first question should be “is there a murder motive”? (In Sean’s case, yes). Is there an opportunity? (His wife was away, so yes).
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