Sun journalists cleared by trial juries of conspiring to bribe public officials have been frustrated to discover that the newspaper is not greeting them back to work as they had expected.
They believe they were given what amounted to a pledge by the paper’s owner, Rupert Murdoch, that they would be able to return to their former jobs.
But the Guardian has learned that even those found not guilty of committing crimes have been told they must await a decision on their future “from New York” – meaning Murdoch’s News Corp headquarters.
One person who wishes to resume his job was required to undergo an interview with a lawyer and human resources staff who, he said, took copious notes throughout.
These Sun journalists were arrested after the management and standards committee (MSC), the group created by Murdoch in the aftermath of the News of the World phone-hacking scandal in July 2011 to deal with police inquiries, passed on documents to the Metropolitan police. This led to the arrests of Sun reporters and newsdesk executives over allegations that public officials were paid to supply them with information. Some were charged with conspiring to corrupt public officials.
Four who stood trial have since been cleared by juries. One was convicted for receiving stolen goods. Police took no further action against several staff who spent many months on police bail.
Four staff are currently on trial, five more are facing a re-trial after two juries failed to reach a verdict. Another case involving four more staff is due to start next month.
At a meeting with a large group of the arrested Sun staff in March 2013, Murdoch was covertly recorded and the audio was later leaked. At one point, he was asked by the group’s spokesman: “In the event that any of us go to court, and in the event that we are convicted … what assurances can you give us about our individual futures at News International?”
Murdoch replied: “Naturally, anyone who’s released or anyone who’s acquitted will just continue.” But he did add immediately: “I’ve been told that I must not give guarantees.”
Murdoch was accompanied at the meeting by its chief executive, Mike Darcey, and the former Sun editor Dominic Mohan.
News International, News Corp’s British newspaper subsidiary, was later renamed News UK.
A News UK spokesman, asked to confirm that Sun staff whose trials are over have not been reinstated, said: “News UK has a number of processes in place to deal with the individual circumstances of employees who have either faced no further action by the police or have been acquitted or convicted at the end of legal proceedings.
“However, due to normal confidentiality issues, we do not discuss details of personnel matters.”
