Leveson inquiry: Sir Paul Stephenson's meetings with Neil Wallis

Former Met chief met ex-News of the World deputy editor eight times between 2006 and 2010, more than any other journalist

Leveson inquiry: Sir Paul Stephenson said he was an 'acquaintance', not a friend of former News of the World deputy editor Neil Wallis

The former Met commissioner described Neil Wallis as a "light acquaintance" today when giving evidence at the Leveson Inquiry. He dined or met with Wallis on eight separate occasions between 2006 and 2010, more than any other senior journalist or executive at any other newspaper. A list of those meetings based on the evidence given today, follows, sometimes with comments from Sir Paul or the barrister questioning him, Robert Jay QC.
Sir Paul Stephenson joined the Met as deputy commissioner on 16 March 2005. Wallis was deputy editor of the News of the World. Glenn Mulcaire was arrested on 8 August 2006 in the first phone-hacking investigation (he was later jailed for four months in January 2007). Information circulated around News International about the scale of the hacking inquiry from 15 September 2006, as shown by an email sent to Andy Coulson, Wallis's boss.
1. 19 September 2006: Dinner with Wallis and Dick Fedorcio, head of press for the Met police. Noted in the Met's hospitality register, meaning it would have been paid for by Wallis.
2. 15 November 2007: Dinner with Wallis and Fedorcio. Robert Jay QC: "Presumably a similar purpose as the dinner the previous year or 14 months previously; is that right?" Stephenson: "It would be, yes."
3. 20 February 2008: The "first entry" that year is dinner with Neil Wallis alone. Stephenson says "I don't recall that [dinner]. I don't recall having dinner with Mr Wallis alone. It is possible, but I don't recall it."
4. 15 October 2008: Meeting and drinks with Wallis and Fedorcio. Noted in the Met's hospitality register "as informal meeting, drinks provided, deputy editor News of the World".
Stephenson becomes acting commissioner on 1 December 2008; he is appointed as commissioner on 28 January 2009.
5. 4 February 2009: Drinks with Wallis and Fedorcio, described as a "business dinner" in the Met police register. Jay: "But again you're not going to be able to assist with what was discussed on that occasion, presumably?" Stephenson: "No."
6. 23 June 2009: Dinner with Wallis and Fedorcio at Luciano's in St James' Street. Jay: "Do you recall anything about that occasion?" Stephenson: "I don't specifically recall the occasion, but if it's there in the diary and the register, then I accept that it took place."
Neil Wallis left the NoW in August 2009 and set up his own consultancy, Chamy Media. He worked as a two-day-a-week PR adviser to the Met between October 2009 and September 2010, earning £24,000, before joining Outside Organisation, a public relations company, in 2010. Stephenson says he was not involved in Wallis's recruitment in 2009, but says he was content with it.
7. 10 December 2009: Dinner with Fedorcio, Yates and Wallis. Described in the Met police register as a private dinner but "no expenses claimed".
8. April 2010: Drinks with Wallis and Fedorcio. Listed in Stephenson's diary as "no expenses claimed". Dinner or drinks at the bbar on the Buckingham Palace Road.
Wallis was arrested on suspicion of involvement in phone hacking 14 July 2011. Stephenson resigned on 17 July 2011.