Comment 26 by Synapse :

A single agent in one case potentially hampering a murder investigation is not the same as the Murdoch press "hampering murder investigations" (plural). Your language was hyperbolic.

I believe that the plural is warranted. As well as destroying what could well have been crucial evidence in a murder trial in the Milly Dowler case, it is reported that the phones of key individuals in the murder of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman were also hacked. And tonight Channel4 news reported that the News Of The World targetted a detective working on a murder case: http://www.channel4.com/news/news-of-the-world-targets-met-police-detective. Although the extent to which these latter cases were potentially disrupted by the NotW's actions is not clear, it seems fair to use the plural rather than singular given that there are now several murder investigations in which the NotW is alleged to have improperly and illegally intervened.

Anyway, apart from that, thanks for the apology which you graciously made and I gratefully acknowledge.