Andy Smudgley was a reporter who worked for the Daily Prophet. In 1991, he wrote an article covering a break-in at Gringotts Wizarding Bank, which was titled "GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST". The following year, he wrote an article covering a major breach of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, which occurred when Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley flew a Flying Ford Anglia to Hogwarts Castle. In 1993, he wrote an article titled "'It's Sirius!' say the Ministry of Magic," which concerned the escape of Sirius Black from Azkaban.