Sky News says email hacking was in the 'public interest'

LONDON – British broadcaster Sky News says it authorized the hacking of emails on two separate occasions but insists the move was in the public interest.

The news channel says that in one case it broke into the emails belonging to Anne and John Darwin, who became notorious after the latter tried to fake his own death in an elaborate insurance fraud.

The news channel said in a statement Thursday that "we do not take such decisions lightly or frequently" and said the investigation had served the public interest.