Government believes family of Brighton soldier Jamie Janes was target of News of the World phone hackers

The 20-year-old, from Brighton, died after he was caught in an explosion while he was on patrol in Afghanistan with 1st Battalion The Grenadier Guards.

But yesterday a Ministry of Defence (MoD) source yesterday told The Argus that Guardsman Janes' family was “highly likely” to have been a target for private investigators allegedly working on behalf of the Rupert Murdoch-owned News of the World.

Jacqui Janes, Gdsmn Janes' mother, said she was in regular contact with the Metropolitan Police over the affair.

She said: “I've emailed the detective inspector dealing with the case and told him I would rather know sooner than later.

“I've been told by three different sources now that I am a likely target.

“It's awful. You cannot accept a death in war.

“You cannot accept because you cannot forgive.”

Mrs Janes came to national attention following her son's death in October 2009 because of a row she had with then Prime Minister Gordon Brown which featured on the front page of The Sun, also owned by Murdoch's company, News International.

She criticised Brown for spelling her son's name wrong in a letter to her and he subsequently personally apologised.

Mrs Janes, of Flint Close, Portslade, said she had been up since 5am yesterday panicking about whether her family had been targeted following her son's death.

She confirmed the Metropolitan Police had taken details of her and Gdsmn Janes before issuing her with a crime number.

The mother of the 100th British soldier to die in Iraq, Jonathan Bracho-Cooke, said she was “disgusted” by the allegations.

Patricia Bracho-Cooke, of Sandringham Close, Hove, said: “It is disgraceful.

“I feel terrible for the people that have been affected.”

The Bracho-Cookes and the family of Daniel Gamble, the 100th British soldier to be killed in Afghanistan, said they did not believe they had been targeted by hackers as they had not been contacted by the Metropolitan Police.

But it is not known if the families of other Sussex soldiers who lost their lives in Afghanistan or Iraq have been approached by police.

Among those to have died in Afghanistan are Daniel Prior, Michael Pritchard, John Brackpool, Oliver Dicketts, Scott Summers and Sean Reeve.

John Rigby and Paul Connolly died in Iraq.

The Metropolitan Police yesterday told The Argus they were not revealing the names of potential victims connected to the allegations.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Sue Akers said: “I have huge sympathy for those who may have been the victims of phone hacking or intrusion into their private lives.

“It must be incredibly distressing to see details of the information held, or speculation about what may be held, about them in the media.

This is forcing them to relive devastating experiences.”

But she added she was going through “approximately 11,000 pages of material containing almost 4,000 names”.

An MoD spokesman said: “We are working closely with the Metropolitan Police to ensure that all those affected by the allegations of phone hacking are informed that they may be victims.

“If these claims prove to be true, then the intrusion into the private lives of bereaved families would be an outrageous breach of trust and I would strongly condemn anyone involved.

“Our Armed Forces and their families rightly deserve the respect and support of the nation particularly when their loved ones have made the ultimate sacrifice.”

General David Richards added: “We don't want to get ahead of ourselves because there's a police investigation ongoing. But if these actions are verified, I'm appalled. I find it disgusting. Let's see what the investigation comes up with.

“The PM, I, everyone across Whitehall feels very strongly about this.”

There was initially speculation that murdered schoolgirl Sarah Payne's parents had their mobiles targeted but this has been ruled out.

Heather Mills, who lives in Hove, was last month reported to be considering legal action against the newspaper over alleged phone-hacking.

She was reportedly visited by the Metropolitan Police as part of their inquiry.

Meanwhile comedian Steve Coogan, also of Hove, has already brought legal action over claims his voicemail was accessed by the paper.