Lucy Panton
Lucy Panton is a British journalist, a former News of the World crime editor, and the seventh person arrested under Operation Elveden on 15 December 2011.[1]
Panton joined the News of the World in September 2002 from the Sunday People, taking up the position of crime correspondent. She was promoted to crime editor in October 2005.[2][3]
On 30 October 2010, Panton was asked by News of the World news editor James Mellor to find out more from Metropolitan Police anti-terror head John Yates about the printer cartridge bomb found on a cargo plane at East Midlands Airport the previous day. Mellor wrote in an email to Panton:[4]
“ | John Yates could be crucial here. Have you spoken to him? Really need an excl (exclusive) splash (front page) line so time to call in all those bottles of champagne... | ” |
Panton replied: "Noted. Not got hold of him yet still trying." Panton was on maternity leave at the time of the closure of the newspaper in July 2011.[2][3]
Panton was arrested at her home in Surrey, where she lives with her Scotland Yard-based Metropolitan Police detective husband.[1] The couple have two young children. She was later released on police bail.[2]
During his evidence to the Leveson Inquiry in March 2012, former Metropolitan Police anti-terror head John Yates admitted that he drunk champagne with Panton and other executives from the tabloid newspaper.[5] Yates denied that he gave Panton any favours in return for such hospitality, or that the relationship between the two was that close.[6]
References
- 1 2 Donna Bowater (15 December 2011). "Phone hacking: Former News of the World crime editor Lucy Panton arrested". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2012-03-02.
- 1 2 3 Josh Halliday (15 December 2011). "Former NoW journalist arrested over alleged payments to police". The Guardian. Retrieved 2012-03-02.
- 1 2 "Former NOTW crime editor Lucy Panton arrested". The Independent. 15 December 2011. Retrieved 2012-03-02.
- ↑ "Call in champagne, reporter told". Press Association. 2 March 2012. Retrieved 2012-03-02.
- ↑ "'Time to call in those bottles of champagne': What News of the World executive told reporter trying to get story from top detective". Daily Mail. 2 March 2012. Retrieved 2012-03-02.
- ↑ "Call in champagne, reporter told". Evening Standard. 2 March 2012. Retrieved 2012-03-02.