James Murdoch
James Murdoch, the son of media giant Rupert Murdoch, testified on Tuesday during an inquiry that he was assured on several occasions about the ethics and journalism practice at the News of the World. James Murdoch has since step down from the boards of both News Group Newspapers Limited, publishers of the Sun, and Times Newspapers Limited, following the phone hacking scandal that closed the News of the World. Miguel Villagran/Getty Images

The former News International Director, James Murdoch, has admitted that he received an email revealing the practices of phone hacking but denies having read "the whole chain" which would have revealed that News of the World journalists were illegally accessing voice messages from people's phones.

Mr Murdoch had previously denied receiving any correspondence in relation to phone hacking, but this email now shows the information was at his fingertips and demonstrates the how the former company chairman was guilty of gross negligence.

The email, made public by the Labour MP Tom Watson via his Twitter account, is a conversation between the former legal aide of NotW, Tom Crone, the former editor of of the publication, Colin Myler who discussed in detail the settlement for Gordon Taylor, the head of the PFA.

Mr Myler then forwards on the email to Mr Murdoch which says:

James

Update on the Gordon Taylor (Professional Football Association) Case.

Unfortunately it was as bad as we feared.

The note from Julian Pike of Farrer's is extremely telling regarding Taylor's vindictiveness.

It would be helpful if Tom Crone and I could have five minutes with you in Tuesday.

Colin

But in response, writing to the management and standards committee in parliament (MSC), Mr Murdoch confessed that he "only became aware of the email last week on Wednesday, 7 December".

He said: "It now appears that Mr [Colin] Myler sent an email to me on Saturday afternoon, 7 June 2008 in order to request a short meeting the following Tuesday for an "update on the Gordon Taylor case."

Mr Murdoch persists in the letter, however, that he was unaware of the full nature of the complaint saying that he "did not review the full chain at the time or afterwards," given the timing of his response was just over two minutes after Mr Myler had sent his email.

Mr Murdoch, son of media mogul, Rupert, replies in the email saying:

No worries. I am in during the afternoon. If you want to talk before I'll be home tonight after seven and most of the day tomorrow.

In the letter to the MSC, Mr Murdoch apologies and asks the committee to write to him with any other questions.

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