By Victoria Ward, and Tom Whitehead 9:55PM BST 05 Apr 2011
Neville Thurlbeck, the News of the Worlds chief reporter, and Ian Edmondson, a former assistant editor who was recently sacked over the affair, were questioned after presenting themselves at separate London police stations.
The arrests came as Sienna Miller, the actress, won a High Court order for access to the mobile phone records of third parties that may assist her claim for damages. They were the first since Scotland Yard reopened its investigation into widespread claims of hacking at the Sunday newspaper.
Mr Edmondson, 42, was sacked in January after emails were discovered that allegedly suggested he was aware of the hacking.
Transcripts of voicemail messages obtained by private investigator Glenn Mulcaire were said to have been sent via email under the heading This is the transcript for Neville, a possible reference to Mr Thurlbeck, 50.
The men were held on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications and unlawfully intercepting voicemail messages. They were released on police bail to return in September. It is understood that their homes were also searched. Both deny any wrongdoing.
Only one News of the World journalist has been prosecuted over the scandal. Clive Goodman, the newspapers former royal correspondent and Mulcaire were both jailed in 2007. The names and contact details of up to 3,000 public figures, including actors and politicians, were found in notes kept by Mulcaire.
The News of the World has already settled civil claims running into millions of pounds after being sued by hacking victims including Max Clifford, the publicist, and Gordon Taylor, the former head of the Professional Footballers Association.
News International said in a statement: News International has consistently reiterated that it will not tolerate wrongdoing and is committed to acting on evidence. We continue to co-operate fully with the ongoing police investigation.
The latest developments came as Miss Miller, 28, who is suing the newspaper for damages, won a High Court order requiring Vodafone to hand over data from other peoples phone records which may assist her claim. The order was granted by Mr Justice Vos, who said that Vodafone had been given data by the police in 2006 in order to identify customers whose voicemails had been accessed.
Meanwhile, Keir Starmer QC, the Director of Public Prosecutions, risked reopening a row with Scotland Yard over why the original inquiry was narrow.
The Metropolitan Polices acting deputy commissioner, John Yates, has insisted officers had followed guidance by prosecutors that an offence was only committed if a voicemail was accessed before its intended recipient had listened to it.
But Mr Starmer told the home affairs select committee yesterday that any advice provided did not limit the scope and extent of the criminal investigation.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...ews-of-World-arrested-over-phone-hacking.html
Neville Thurlbeck, the News of the Worlds chief reporter, and Ian Edmondson, a former assistant editor who was recently sacked over the affair, were questioned after presenting themselves at separate London police stations.
The arrests came as Sienna Miller, the actress, won a High Court order for access to the mobile phone records of third parties that may assist her claim for damages. They were the first since Scotland Yard reopened its investigation into widespread claims of hacking at the Sunday newspaper.
Mr Edmondson, 42, was sacked in January after emails were discovered that allegedly suggested he was aware of the hacking.
Transcripts of voicemail messages obtained by private investigator Glenn Mulcaire were said to have been sent via email under the heading This is the transcript for Neville, a possible reference to Mr Thurlbeck, 50.
The men were held on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications and unlawfully intercepting voicemail messages. They were released on police bail to return in September. It is understood that their homes were also searched. Both deny any wrongdoing.
Only one News of the World journalist has been prosecuted over the scandal. Clive Goodman, the newspapers former royal correspondent and Mulcaire were both jailed in 2007. The names and contact details of up to 3,000 public figures, including actors and politicians, were found in notes kept by Mulcaire.
The News of the World has already settled civil claims running into millions of pounds after being sued by hacking victims including Max Clifford, the publicist, and Gordon Taylor, the former head of the Professional Footballers Association.
News International said in a statement: News International has consistently reiterated that it will not tolerate wrongdoing and is committed to acting on evidence. We continue to co-operate fully with the ongoing police investigation.
The latest developments came as Miss Miller, 28, who is suing the newspaper for damages, won a High Court order requiring Vodafone to hand over data from other peoples phone records which may assist her claim. The order was granted by Mr Justice Vos, who said that Vodafone had been given data by the police in 2006 in order to identify customers whose voicemails had been accessed.
Meanwhile, Keir Starmer QC, the Director of Public Prosecutions, risked reopening a row with Scotland Yard over why the original inquiry was narrow.
The Metropolitan Polices acting deputy commissioner, John Yates, has insisted officers had followed guidance by prosecutors that an offence was only committed if a voicemail was accessed before its intended recipient had listened to it.
But Mr Starmer told the home affairs select committee yesterday that any advice provided did not limit the scope and extent of the criminal investigation.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...ews-of-World-arrested-over-phone-hacking.html
