Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Police given Straw tapes

Paul McCann
Monday 05 January 1998 19:02 EST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The Mirror newspaper yesterday handed police officers tape recordings of the alleged meeting between two of its reporters and William Straw, son of the Home Secretary, Jack Straw.

The paper says the tapes prove the politician's son was not trapped by its reporters, but will not publish their contents in case they are used in a criminal trial. Police came to the Mirror offices in Canary Wharf, east London, for the tapes and to take a statement from Dawn Alford, the reporter who met William Straw. The Mirror has said she was prepared to give the tapes to police when she reported to a South London station last week to make a statement and was arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance. Mirror sources admit the recordings are poor and will need transcription to be used as evidence.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in