UK phone-hacking: journalist, police officer arrested

A journalist and a police officer were arrested this morning as part of a probe related to the phone-hacking controversy at the News of the World tabloid, which was closed by media baron Rupert Murdoch last July.

The two latest arrests were made under Operation Elveden, which is probing corrupt payments by journalists to public officials for information to be used in news stories.

Scotland Yard did not name the two arrested persons, but said the 37-year-old journalist was arrested at his home in north London, while the 29-year-old police officer was also arrested at his home in Sussex.

Both men were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to corrupt and conspiracy to cause misconduct in a public office.

The police said: "Today's arrests are the result of information provided to police by News Corporation's Management Standards Committee.

"They relate to suspected payments to a police officer and are not about seeking journalists to reveal confidential sources in relation to information that has been obtained legitimately".

Over 40 people have so far been arrested under Operation Elveden