6 UK journalists held in phone hacking inquiry

Six journalists, including three women of the erstwhile News of the World tabloid owned by media baron Rupert Murdoch were arrested today by Scotland Yard over allegations of phone hacking. Three men and three women, including current employees of News International-owned tabloid The Sun, are being questioned at police stations in London and Cheshire today.

The arrests were made as part of a new line of inquiry that is separate from allegations under the existing Scotland Yard investigation into the phone hacking scandal called “Operation Weeting”. “Detectives on Operation Weeting have identified a further suspected conspiracy to intercept telephone voicemails by a number of employees who worked for the now defunct News of the World newspaper,” the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

“This suspected conspiracy is believed to have taken place primarily during 2005 to 2006. It is separate from the alleged conspiracy already being investigated by Operation Weeting in which a number of people have been charged,” it said.

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.

Detectives plan to speak to people they believe have been victims of the suspected phone hacking. Mike Darcey, the chief executive of News International, confirmed that two of those arrested were staff members at The Sun and the pair have been provided with lawyers.

A 50-year-old serving police officer was arrested yesterday under Operation Elveden, the investigation into alleged corrupt payments to public officials. The inquiries date back to 2011 following revelations that reporters at News of the World routinely intercepted voicemails of public figures.

The Rupert Murdoch-owned Sunday tabloid has since shut down but investigations into the allegations have led to a series of arrests and charges.

News International, the British newspaper wing of Murdoch's US-based News Corp empire, has paid out millions of pounds in damages to hacking victims.

Last week, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, the ex-wife of Prince Andrew, won undisclosed damages, as did singer James Blunt, Israeli entertainer Uri Geller, and actor Hugh Grant.