Speaking at a Westminster Hall debate Mr Watson said: "I believe the Metropolitan Police are sitting on an intelligence report from late 2002 that claims a police contact overheard Marunchak claim he was paying the relatives of police officers in Cambridgeshire for information about the Soham murders Photo: BRIAN SMITH
Labour MP Watson, who spearheaded the campaign to expose the phone hacking scandal at the now-defunct Sunday tabloid, claimed a journalist from the News of the World, Alex Marunchak, bought details about the investigation into the 2002 killings which shocked the country.
Labour MP Watson, who spearheaded the campaign to expose the phone hacking scandal at the now-defunct Sunday tabloid, claimed a journalist from the News of the World, Alex Marunchak, bought details about the investigation into the 2002 killings which shocked the country.
Speaking at a Westminster Hall debate Mr Watson said: "I believe the Metropolitan Police are sitting on an intelligence report from late 2002 that claims a police contact overheard Marunchak claim he was paying the relatives of police officers in Cambridgeshire for information about the Soham murders.
"These are allegations that as far as we know have not been investigated.
"I don't whether these intelligence reports are accurate, but I do know Alex Marunchak was involved in writing stories about how the Manchester United shirts of those young girls were found."
Mr Watson also claimed details on one of the girls' parents were found in files belonging to convicted phone hacker Glenn Mulcaire, who was previously jailed for illegally listening to voicemails.
The MP called on News International boss Rupert Murdoch to apologise for the conduct of staff at his paper during the investigations into the Soham killings and Mr Morgan's murder, as the media tycoon previously apologised to murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler's family.
The MP called on News International boss Rupert Murdoch to apologise for the conduct of staff at his paper during the investigations into the Soham killings and Mr Morgan's murder, as the media tycoon previously apologised to murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler's family.
The revelation Milly's phone was hacked by NoW journalists forced the paper's closure last summer.
Mr Watson said today: "I think Rupert Murdoch owes the Morgan family an apology.
"I also don't think he has made his last apology to the grieving parents of dead children."
It also emerged during the Westminster Hall debate that the Government could order a judicial inquiry into the unsolved axe murder of private investigator Daniel Morgan 25 years ago.
Mr Morgan was killed in a pub car park amid claims he was preparing to expose police corruption.
Investigations into the Welshman's death were hampered by allegations of further corruption, and his family said they have lost faith in detectives' abilities to bring his killers to justice.
Police Minister Nick Herbert said: "It is important to consider what options are now available to identify and address the issue of police corruption and to bring those responsible for Daniel's murder to justice.
"The Morgan family have called for a judicial inquiry and this call has been endorsed by the Metropolitan Police Authority."
He added: "We are considering very carefully if this is the right way forward.
"The Home Secretary and I haven't ruled out ordering a judicial inquiry at this stage."
His announcement came during a debate ahead of the 25th anniversary of Mr Morgan's death in Sydenham, south London, on March 10 1987.
Mr Herbert said it was "a horrific murder, exacerbated by the failure to see those responsible held to account".
Mr Watson claimed Mr Marunchak had paid Mr Morgan's business partner Jonathan Rees for stories.
Mr Rees was later accused and cleared over Mr Morgan's death.
The West Bromwich East MP referred to evidence to the Leveson Inquiry into press standards on Tuesday that Mr Marunchak placed the officer leading an investigation into Mr Morgan's killing, Detective Chief Inspector Dave Cook, under surveillance.
"The person who was investigating a murder was put under close surveillance by a close business associate of the man he was investigating," said Mr Watson.
"A journalist tried to undermine a murder investigation."
Mr Watson said today: "I think Rupert Murdoch owes the Morgan family an apology.
"I also don't think he has made his last apology to the grieving parents of dead children."
It also emerged during the Westminster Hall debate that the Government could order a judicial inquiry into the unsolved axe murder of private investigator Daniel Morgan 25 years ago.
Mr Morgan was killed in a pub car park amid claims he was preparing to expose police corruption.
Investigations into the Welshman's death were hampered by allegations of further corruption, and his family said they have lost faith in detectives' abilities to bring his killers to justice.
Police Minister Nick Herbert said: "It is important to consider what options are now available to identify and address the issue of police corruption and to bring those responsible for Daniel's murder to justice.
"The Morgan family have called for a judicial inquiry and this call has been endorsed by the Metropolitan Police Authority."
He added: "We are considering very carefully if this is the right way forward.
"The Home Secretary and I haven't ruled out ordering a judicial inquiry at this stage."
His announcement came during a debate ahead of the 25th anniversary of Mr Morgan's death in Sydenham, south London, on March 10 1987.
Mr Herbert said it was "a horrific murder, exacerbated by the failure to see those responsible held to account".
Mr Watson claimed Mr Marunchak had paid Mr Morgan's business partner Jonathan Rees for stories.
Mr Rees was later accused and cleared over Mr Morgan's death.
The West Bromwich East MP referred to evidence to the Leveson Inquiry into press standards on Tuesday that Mr Marunchak placed the officer leading an investigation into Mr Morgan's killing, Detective Chief Inspector Dave Cook, under surveillance.
"The person who was investigating a murder was put under close surveillance by a close business associate of the man he was investigating," said Mr Watson.
"A journalist tried to undermine a murder investigation."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9114464/NotW-may-have-paid-police-relatives-for-Soham-murder-information.html
