Attorney general to warn hacking committee about prejudice risk

An influential parliamentary committee is to be warned by the attorney general, Dominic Grieve, that its imminent report into phone-hacking could prejudice criminal cases being brought against a number of journalists and editors. A spokesman for Grieve confirmed that he will meet the culture, media and sport select committee's members on 16 April. He is understood to have been invited by its chairman and is expected to advise that, depending on its findings, its report could have serious consequences for the police and Crown Prosecution Service. Any decision by the committee to "water down" its findings in light of Grieve's advice will dismay members. While the report is subject to parliamentary privilege – and is therefore free to disclose whatever its members wish it to – its findings could be used by the defence lawyers of those under investigation to argue that their clients will be unable to receive a fair trial. The extraordinary situation will force the committee's members to decide whether parliament or the criminal justice system should take precedence before they publish the report. It is expected to be critical of a number of individuals, including James Murdoch, who oversaw the operations of News International.