Police face questions over 'ignored evidence' of phone hacking in Milly Dowler case On April 13, a News of the World reporter contacted Surrey Police to say that the paper had potentially "significant information." The reporter said a voicemail left on Milly's phone suggested she had tried to get work with a recruitment agency, and read out a transcript of the message, as well as messages from "a tearful relative and a young boy." The employment agency had, in fact, left a message on Milly's mobile phone by "pure coincidence" on March 27, after taking down the wrong number for one of its clients. The message was then accessed by the News of the World, which became "110 per cent sure" that the 13-year-old had run away from home and was looking for work. Surrey Police officers working on the Dowler case were unaware that the agency had left the voicemail message until the force was contacted by the tabloid. A week later a reporter "played the Surrey Police press officer a recording of the message." A senior officer and press officer then invited two News of the World representatives to a meeting at the force's headquarters on July 16. No notes of what was said at the meeting have been found, and a copy of the internal police report published by the parliamentary culture, media and sport committee blanks out the names of the journalists and police officers involved. The report does not make clear whether West Mercia police, which dealt with a complaint from the recruitment agency, or the Metropolitan Police, which worked closely with Surrey on the case, were told about the hacking. The police report discloses that three weeks after Milly went missing, a woman claiming to be Sally Dowler phoned the recruitment agency asking if Milly was working for it. Although the report does not draw any conclusions about who was impersonating Milly's mother, it leaves no doubt that the caller could only have been someone who knew about the voicemail that had been left in error. Keith Vaz, the chairman of the home affairs select committee, said the report "raises serious questions over what [Surrey Police] knew about phone hacking and when." Timeline The voicemail trail Milly Dowler disappears on her way home from school. April 13 12.15pm News of the World employee contacts Surrey Police saying the paper has significant information about the investigation. News of the World employee tells police it has heard a voicemail on Milly's phone from someone offering her a job. Police respond that they believe it is the work of a hoaxer. Police are played the voicemail message obtained by the newspaper. News of the World informs the police it has two stories ready to go, one claiming the voicemail is a hoax and the other saying it is a new line of inquiry and demand a police response. First edition of newspaper goes with version saying the voicemail is a hoax. Subsequent versions carry second version. No action is taken by police over hacking of Milly's voicemail by newspaper. July 16 Surrey detectives meet News of the World figures at police headquarters. It is not known what was discussed. Sept 20 Milly's remains are discovered in Hampshire. 2007: January Clive Goodman, the News of the World's royal editor, and Glenn Mulcaire, a private investigator, are jailed after pleading guilty to intercepting voicemail messages of members of the royal household. Andy Coulson, the paper's editor, resigns. Levi Bellfield, a former nightclub bouncer, is found guilty of abducting and murdering Milly Dowler. July 4 The Guardian alleges that the News of the World hacked into Milly's voicemail, hampering the police investigation. July 7 News Corporation announces that the News of the World is to close down. Nov 21 Bob and Sally Dowler give emotional evidence to the Leveson inquiry about how they falsely believed their daughter was still alive after messages were removed from her phone. Dec 10 The Guardian says new evidence has been found suggesting it was not News of the World employees who deleted the messages.