Rebekah Brooks’s former head of security who threatened to go public with “shock” revelations about the Sun publisher has said he no longer believes the allegations to be true.
Mark Hanna said he has now settled a claim for unfair dismissal from his role as head of security at News International, now News UK, and was withdrawing his threat to make allegations about the company.
In a statement he said: “I no longer believe the allegations I made to be true”.
Hanna threatened to expose the company in September after Rebekah Brooks returned to the company, which he felt had acted immorally after telling him he was at risk of redundancy following the trial.
In June Hanna revealed he had parted company with News UK, was living on benefits, and could not get employment because of the stigma of standing trial with Brooks.
He said he was suing NI for unfair dismissal and his case was listed to be heard in Croydon next month.
But in September, he made an extraordinary late-night claim on YouTube, saying he knew of “confessions” made by defendants in Brooks’s phone hacking trial last year.
Hanna was a co-defendant in the trial in which they were both acquitted of all charges.
In a video, Hanna said the re-appointment of Brooks was “Murdoch’s middle finger being shoved right in my face”. He added: “I’m now standing up to all those who sit back and treat us all with contempt, the Murdochs and Brooks of the world.”
He was incensed by her £16m severance deal and told the Guardian earlier this year he felt “betrayed” by the company who told him they wanted to make him redundant seven months after the trial.
Over the weekend, Hanna posted a statement saying he was withdrawing his claim after the company gave him fresh information about the reasons for his redundancy.
“I am pleased to say that I have settled my employment tribunal claim against News UK.
“I posted a YouTube video on 3 September 2015, in which I made allegations regarding illegal activity by the company and its representatives.
“Prior to reaching settlement with the company and making this statement, the company provided me and my representatives with documents and additional information not previously available to me that shed light on my allegations. Having reviewed this material, I no longer believe the allegations I made to be true. I am also satisfied that I was not dismissed because of any protected disclosure,” he said.
