LONDON - A lawyer for Rupert Murdoch's British newspapers says phone hacking was wrong and shameful but claims the huge criminal investigation it sparked proves journalists are not above the law.
Rhodri Davies told a judge-led inquiry into British media practices Tuesday that News International apologizes "unreservedly" for eavesdropping on cell phone voice mail messages.
He says the company is acting to make sure it would not happen again.
But he questions a claim by the inquiry's lawyer about the scale of the illegal eavesdropping.
Robert Jay said Monday that five journalists had asked investigator Glenn Mulcaire, who was jailed for phone hacking, to carry out 2,266 tasks.
Davies says News International wanted those figures checked.
