Six ex-NoW journalists arrested in phone hacking probe

The three men and three women arrested all previously worked for the News of the World and are being interviewed at police stations in London and Cheshire.

They are Jules Stenson, Rav Singh, Matt Nixson, Polly Graham, Rachel Richardson and Jane Atkinson. Rachel Richardson and Jane Atkinson currently work for the Sun.

In a new twist to the phone hacking scandal, Scotland Yard said on Wednesday morning that the arrests were made by Operation Weeting detectives, but are part of a new line of inquiry into a suspected conspiracy to intercept telephone voicemails between around 2005 and 2006.

A number of former NoW journalists have already been arrested and charged under Operation Weeting, including former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks, former NoW editor Andy Coulson and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire.

Two men aged 45 and 46 were held in Wandsworth, south London, and a 39-year-old man was arrested in Greenwich, south east London.

The three women arrested were a 39-year-old who was detained in Cheshire, a 33-year-old in Islington, north London, and a 40-year-old in Lambeth, south London.

These six arrests bring the total number of people arrested under the Met’s three investigations into phone-hacking, bribery and hacking to 106. Some of those involved have been arrested more than once as part of separate investigations.

They follow the arrest of a 50-year-old police officer on Tuesday, as part of Operation Elveden.

Operation Weeting, into allegations of phone hacking by the media
32 arrested
14 charged, including:
– Ex-News International Chief Executive Rebekah Brooks
– Her husband Charlie Brooks
– Former NoW editor Andy Coulson
– Ex-NoW chief report Neville Thurlbeck
– Private investigator Glenn Mulciare

Operation Elveden, into bribes or payments made to public officials by journalists.
60 arrested
8 charged, including:
– Former NoW Royal Editor Clive Goodman, charged with two counts of conspiracy
– Andy Coulson, charged with two counts of conspiracy
– Rebekah Brooks, charged with conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office
– The Sun’s Chief Reporter John Kay
– Detective Chief Inspector April Casburn, jailed for 15 months for misconduct in public office
– Ministry of Defence employee Bettina Jordan-Barber

Operation Tuleta, into allegations of computer hacking.
20 arrested
No-one charged

In a statement, the Met Police said that victims of this new line of inquiry had not yet been notified: “In due course officers will be making contact with people they believe have been victims of the suspected voicemail interceptions”.

The News of the World was rocked by hundreds of allegations of phone hacking, including of the voicemail of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler in 2002, and closed in July 2011.

Three operations were set up as a result of revelations into journalistic practices, including Operation Weeting, into allegations of phone hacking by the media, Operation Elveden, into bribes made to public officials by journalists, and Operation Tuleta, into allegations of computer hacking.