Neville Thurlbeck
Encyclopedia
Neville Thurlbeck is a British journalist who worked for the tabloid newspaper News of the World
for 21 years. He reached the position of news editor before returning to the position of chief reporter. Thurlbeck was arrested in April 2011 as part of Operation Weeting
.
as gay. Thurlbeck also broke the story that Jeffrey Archer had committed perjury during his 1987 libel case against the Daily Star
. The scoop won Thurlbeck three industry awards including Scoop of the Year 1999 from the London Press Club.
At the turn of the millenium Thurlbeck, under the codename "George", acted as an "unpaid source" for the police. In return he received information from the Police National Computer
which principally consisted of the previous convictions of various criminals. In 2000 Thurlbeck and the police officer with whom he worked were cleared of corruption charges with regard to their working relationship.
In 2001 Thurlbeck moved from his position as investigations news editor to become news editor. He held the position for approximately two years before stepping down in 2003 to become chief reporter.
In 2004 Thurlbeck broke a story which alleged footballer David Beckham
was having an affair. He was responsible for the exclusive over Max Mosley
's private life which resulted in his newspaper being sued, paying £60,000 damages for the paper's breach of his privacy. Mosley later suggested that Thurlbeck's methods were akin to blackmail, with the journalist telling women that "if you don't co-operate we will publish your pictures unpixellated."
Thurlbeck was dismissed from News International in September 2011 in the wake of the News International phone hacking scandal. Thurlbeck says he did not receive the reason for his dismissal from his former employer but from the Metropolitan police. He denies the allegations which led to his sacking and is pursuing a claim of unfair dismissal
against News International
. Thurlbeck had worked for News of the World for 21 years at the time of his dismissal.
on 5 April 2011 after voluntarily attending a police interview. He was bailed initially until September 2011 but bail was later extended until March 2012.
His name appears in an e-mail from a News of the World reporter headed "for Neville" which contained transcripts of 35 voicemails.
News of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
for 21 years. He reached the position of news editor before returning to the position of chief reporter. Thurlbeck was arrested in April 2011 as part of Operation Weeting
Operation Weeting
Operation Weeting is a British police investigation that commenced on 26 January 2011, under the Specialist Crime Directorate of the Metropolitan Police Service into allegations of phone hacking in the News of the World phone hacking affair...
.
Career
In 1998 Thurlbeck was the newspaper journalist who 'outed' the Cabinet Minister Nick BrownNick Brown
Nicholas Hugh "Nick" Brown is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Newcastle upon Tyne East since 1983...
as gay. Thurlbeck also broke the story that Jeffrey Archer had committed perjury during his 1987 libel case against the Daily Star
Daily Star
The Daily Star is a popular daily tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom. It first published on 2 November 1978, and was the first new national paper to be launched since the Daily Worker in 1930...
. The scoop won Thurlbeck three industry awards including Scoop of the Year 1999 from the London Press Club.
At the turn of the millenium Thurlbeck, under the codename "George", acted as an "unpaid source" for the police. In return he received information from the Police National Computer
Police National Computer
The Police National Computer is a computer system used extensively by law enforcement organisations across the United Kingdom. It went live in 1974 and now consists of several databases available 24 hours a day, giving access to information of national and local significance.From October 2009, the...
which principally consisted of the previous convictions of various criminals. In 2000 Thurlbeck and the police officer with whom he worked were cleared of corruption charges with regard to their working relationship.
In 2001 Thurlbeck moved from his position as investigations news editor to become news editor. He held the position for approximately two years before stepping down in 2003 to become chief reporter.
In 2004 Thurlbeck broke a story which alleged footballer David Beckham
David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
was having an affair. He was responsible for the exclusive over Max Mosley
Max Mosley
Max Rufus Mosley is the former president of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile , a non-profit association that represents the interests of motoring organisations and car users worldwide...
's private life which resulted in his newspaper being sued, paying £60,000 damages for the paper's breach of his privacy. Mosley later suggested that Thurlbeck's methods were akin to blackmail, with the journalist telling women that "if you don't co-operate we will publish your pictures unpixellated."
Thurlbeck was dismissed from News International in September 2011 in the wake of the News International phone hacking scandal. Thurlbeck says he did not receive the reason for his dismissal from his former employer but from the Metropolitan police. He denies the allegations which led to his sacking and is pursuing a claim of unfair dismissal
Unfair dismissal
Unfair dismissal is the term used in UK labour law to describe an employer's action when terminating an employee's employment contrary to the requirements of the Employment Rights Act 1996...
against News International
News International
News International Ltd is the United Kingdom newspaper publishing division of News Corporation. Until June 2002, it was called News International plc....
. Thurlbeck had worked for News of the World for 21 years at the time of his dismissal.
News International phone hacking scandal
In 2009 Thurlbeck was reported as one of the journalists who had received transcripts of intercepted calls in the News International phone hacking scandal. He was arrested by officers from Operation WeetingOperation Weeting
Operation Weeting is a British police investigation that commenced on 26 January 2011, under the Specialist Crime Directorate of the Metropolitan Police Service into allegations of phone hacking in the News of the World phone hacking affair...
on 5 April 2011 after voluntarily attending a police interview. He was bailed initially until September 2011 but bail was later extended until March 2012.
His name appears in an e-mail from a News of the World reporter headed "for Neville" which contained transcripts of 35 voicemails.