U.K. Police Say Law Firms, Insurers Used Convicted Private Eyes

British police said 22 law firms were among the clients of four private investigators who were jailed last year for using illegal methods to get information.

The Serious and Organised Crime Agency compiled the list of clients ahead of the successful prosecution of the private detectives. It also includes 10 insurance companies, an oil company and eight companies in financial services.

SOCA passed the list to Parliament’s Home Affairs Committee, asking it not to publish the names because it could prejudice future investigations, and because it wasn’t saying any of the companies on its list had broken the law. The committee published the categories of companies today as a compromise. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the government will publish plans later today to regulate private investigators.

“I am very concerned about the role of rogue private investigators who work at the margins of what is acceptable,” Clegg told reporters in London. “It is not right to have guns for hire out of and beyond the usual rules.
(Editors: Lindsay Fortado, Anthony Aarons)