THE News of the World was rightly condemned for its use of phone-hacking, and we had no hesitation in joining the attack on scandalous practices which tainted the image of British journalism.

But we also acknowledged the fact that the News of the World was responsible for some outstanding examples of investigative journalism.

The exposure of the betting scam which led to the jailing of three former Pakistan cricketers yesterday is a case in point.

It is an ironic truth that Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif, and Mohammad Amir would not have been shown to be crooked without the brilliant journalism of a now shamed and defunct newspaper.

We should applaud the fact that the cheats have been rooted out and that a strong message has been sent by the courts: corruption in cricket will not be tolerated.

There is little doubt that betting scams in cricket are not restricted to Butt, Asif and Amir. But at least those tempted to cheat now know that they face time behind bars if they are caught.

The News of the World lost its moral compass in the ways it obtained exclusive stories. Some of the paper’s staff invaded the privacy of innocent people, and betrayed the privileges which come with being a journalist.

But the Pakistan cricket scandal underlines the need for legitimate investigative journalism.

Without it, justice would often remain out of reach.