British actor Jude Law made a scandalous revelation during the News of the World phone hacking trial on Monday, explaining that he confronted his pal Daniel Craig over phone, for his alleged affair with his then girlfriend Sienna Miller. He said that he was shocked to know that the tabloid paid his relatives to leak the story.
The 41-year-old actor was asked several questions, including some about his former fiancée Miller's affair.
Law was in a relationship with Miller after ending his 10-year marriage with Sadie Frost, when News of the World broke the news of the alleged affair with the headline "Sienna cheats on Jude" in 2005, The incident took place around the time his phone was hacked.
"The Holiday" actor told the jury during the proceedings that he questioned his close friend Craig on discovering that he had an affair with his then fiancée. Law is also said to have asked Craig to reveal the story to his then girlfriend Satsuki Mitchell.
According to London Evening Standard, defence counsel Timothy Langdale QC asked, "No doubt you expressed your views?" to which Law replied, "I did, yes."
"Did you make any reference to his then-girlfriend Satsuki Mitchell?" asked the QC, to which the actor replied, "I don't remember if that was her name, but more than likely yes. We had known each other for many, many years, so the conversation took all sorts of turns,"
Langdale asked: "Were you indicating to him that he ought to tell her about this?" Law replied: "Yes, I think that's correct, I did."
The actor also revealed that he was shocked to know that his relatives were paid by News of the World to leak the stories.
"I was made aware very recently that there had been some kind of communication with this person and several others in and around and about this period of time. I was never aware any money had been exchanged," London Evening Standard quoted the actor as telling the jury.
Law and Miller ended their relationship in 2006, not long after the former issued a public apology for having an affair with nanny Daisy Wright and the reports of the latter having an affair with actor Craig was published by News of the World. Miller married actor Tom Sturridge, and Craig married actress Rachel Weisz, both in 2011
It may be recalled that News of the World, which was the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world at one point of time, was closed down in 2011 over public backlash for alleged phone hacking to get exclusives. Former editors of the paper, Andy Coulson and Clive Goodman were arrested in 2007, while former executive editor Neil Wallis and former editor Rebekah Brooks were taken into custody in 2011 over allegations of phone hacking. Brooks and Coulson are currently under trial for charges against them.
