Jo Rowling Gives Evidence to the Leveson Inquiry

As we’ve been reporting, yesterday Jo Rowling gave evidence to the Leveson Inquiry, as part of an investigation into the culture & ethics in the press. Jo spent around two hours giving evidence into how the press had harassed her children, published her addresses & details of her houses, and made false claims against her. Amongst some of the most serious incidents were when Jo found a note from a journalist in then 5 year-old Jessica’s schoolbag; when she became so frustrated with journalists camped outside her house after the birth of David that she chased a photographer down the street with the pushchair; and when a journalist contacted Jessica’s headteacher with a false story of Jessica upsetting other pupils by revealing what happened at the end of Deathly Hallows.

She also revealed for the first time who was the basis of Harry Potter character Gilderoy Lockhart: an ex-flatmate, rather than her ex-husband as the Daily Express had reported.

A full video and transcription of Jo’s evidence can be found at this page, and Jo’s 33 page witness statement can be found here.

At In Honor of Rowling we’d just like to state that we are disgusted by the extent to which Jo’s privacy and the privacy of her family has been invaded over the years. As Jo’s fans anything that she is not comfortable with, we are not comfortable with; and we will never post articles or images which we believe to be untrue or an invasion of privacy.