Hacking now felt to have been endemic at The Sun

The Hackgate contagion continued at Newscorp tonight, as a former Fire Brigades Union Leader asked Met investigator Sue Akers to look into the likelihood that his phone was hacked by redtop Murdoch tabloid The Sun in order to discredit him during a fireman’s strike.

Fireman’s leader Andy Gilchrist has evidence to suggest that negative Sun stories could not have been obtained without access to his mobile phone.

The key story to which he refers – ‘Fire Strike Leader is a Love Cheat’ – appeared shortly after Rebekah Brooks became editor of The Sun in 2002.

“I have well-founded suspicions that my voicemails were hacked at that time” says Gilchrist, who refers to a period long before the NoW investigation took place – an allegation suggesting that Newscorp has been hacking mobile phones for the best part of a decade.

The Sun also accused Mr Gilchrist of blowing over £800 of Union money on a meal for his mates – an allegation later shown to be unwarranted, but which (The Slog understands) without voice-mail access could not have been constructed in the first place.

Meanwhile, other tireless efforts by Sue Akers this week put former top anti-terrorist cop Andy Hayman even more firmly in the frame as the main cover-up agent in the original 2006 enquiry. She admitted tonight that although many individuals had been told on Hayman’s watch that there was ‘little or no’ evidence of hacking, “this has now proved to be false, and represents an important and immediate new line of inquiry.”

A Met spokesman added that police are taking “urgent steps” to contact potential victims and warn them of the new development. He added: ” “Having begun an analysis of the documents seized in 2005 alongside the new evidence, the team have been able to make some links not previously identified.”

Ms Akers concluded: “I am conscious there remains significant interest in this case and we are determined to ensure that we conduct a robust and thorough investigation which will follow the evidence trail to its conclusion.”

There are many frightened executives and shareholders in Newscorp tonight, only too aware of where that trail will almost certainly end.

And far more objective observers were asking, “Why is almost everyone in this case called Andy?”