London, 31 May 2012 (MIA) - The former James Bond actor is thought to have been among the hundreds of public figures targeted by Glenn Mulcaire, the private investigator used by the News of the World.
Officers from the Metropolitan Police rang him to let him know his name had been found in Mulcaire’s notebooks. It is thought his voicemail had been broken up to 10 times, into in an attempt to find private information for stories.
But Sir Sean, now 81 and living in the Bahamas, did not pursue the allegations and did not join the dozens of celebrities and members of the public suing News International, publishers of the now-defunct tabloid, for damages.
A spokesman for the Scottish actor said: “An attempt to contact Sir Sean was made by an individual connected with the investigation into phone hacking.
“No specifics were supplied and Sir Sean didn't not return the call as he truly didn't wish to be involved.
“He is enjoying his retirement.”
Sir Sean’s biographer told The Guardian: “Apparently there were 10 instances. The police were quite excited about it but he doesn't want to know. He doesn't want anything to do with it. He's just having a good time and he just shrugged it off.”
Mulcaire and the News of the World’s former royal editor, Clive Goodman, were jailed five years ago for intercepting the mobile phone messages of royal aides, prompting the resignation of the paper’s editor, Andy Coulson.
But it later emerged that the Murdoch empire had covered up the scale of the scandal and that the Met had failed to investigate hundreds more potential victims.
As the allegations mounted up last year it was claimed that the tabloid had hacked into the mobile phone of the missing schoolgirl, Milly Dowler, leading to the paper being closed down and the establishment of the Leveson inquiry into press standards. So far 25 people have been arrested in the new investigation into phone-hacking.