LONDON - A lawyer at the British inquiry into media ethics says the media is intimidating witnesseses.

David Sherborne spoke the day after actor Hugh Grant gave highly critical testimony to the investigation, describing mysterious break-ins, leaked medical details and hacked voice mails.

Grant blamed the entire tabloid press, not just the now-shuttered News of the World. In particular, he accused the Mail on Sunday tabloid of spying on his conversations.

The paper denies the claim, describing Grant's allegations in an online editorial as "mendacious smears driven by his hatred of the media."

Victims' lawyer Sherborne said many witnesses were worried about "the sort of intimidatory tactics that we've seen in the press this morning."