Scotland Yard reopens phone-hacking case
By Ian Dunt
The Metropolitan police has reopened its investigation over phone hacking at News of the World after “significant new information” emerged.
The decision came just hours after Labour MP Tom Watson demanded the case be taken out of their hands due to the force’s apparent hesitancy in pursuing the case over the last two years.
“Is it not time that another police force took over the inquiry? You have the status to make it happen, prime minister,” Mr Watson said.
“What are you afraid of?”
Mr Cameron replied: “Let me be absolutely clear: phone hacking is wrong and illegal, and it is quite right that the director of public prosecutions is reviewing all the evidence, which should be followed wherever it leads.
“I do not think it is necessarily fair to say the police have not been active-after all, there have been prosecutions, convictions, and indeed imprisonments-but the law is quite clear and the prosecuting authorities should follow it wherever it leads.”
The Met said it received the new information from News of the World, which is currently conducting an internal investigation.
The work will be carried out by the Specialist Crime Directorate which has been investigating a related phone hacking allegation since September 2010.
The investigation will take place simultaneously with the ongoing re-examination of evidence held by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
The new investigation will be led by deputy assistant commissioner Sue Akers from the Specialist Crime Directorate.
