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| Met chief confirms 'full live' phone hacking probe | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Metropolitan Police's acting head has said a "full live investigation" is under way into claims of phone hacking at the News of the World. | |
| Acting Commissioner Tim Godwin is appearing before the Metropolitan Police Authority. | |
| On Wednesday the force said it was launching a fresh investigation having received what it called "significant new information". | |
| There has been criticism of Scotland Yard's handling of the case. | There has been criticism of Scotland Yard's handling of the case. |
| Meanwhile, the BBC has seen documents that suggest hacking may have been going on as recently as last year. | Meanwhile, the BBC has seen documents that suggest hacking may have been going on as recently as last year. |
| The paper said there was no evidence of the claims, describing the report as "misleading". | The paper said there was no evidence of the claims, describing the report as "misleading". |
| A number of public figures have launched civil legal actions against both the News of the World (NoW) and the police amid allegations the practice of phone hacking was widespread. | A number of public figures have launched civil legal actions against both the News of the World (NoW) and the police amid allegations the practice of phone hacking was widespread. |
| Scotland Yard's decision to reopen the hacking investigation follows a NoW internal inquiry that led to the sacking of its head of news, Ian Edmondson, on Tuesday. | Scotland Yard's decision to reopen the hacking investigation follows a NoW internal inquiry that led to the sacking of its head of news, Ian Edmondson, on Tuesday. |
| 'Woeful investigation' | 'Woeful investigation' |
| Former Deputy Prime Minister Lord Prescott repeated his call for a judicial review into the force's handling of the case. | Former Deputy Prime Minister Lord Prescott repeated his call for a judicial review into the force's handling of the case. |
| "I can't trust them to carry out a proper inquiry and that's why I asked the courts for a judicial review on the Metropolitan Police and the way they've conducted investigations," he told BBC's Newsnight. | "I can't trust them to carry out a proper inquiry and that's why I asked the courts for a judicial review on the Metropolitan Police and the way they've conducted investigations," he told BBC's Newsnight. |
| We are now seeing the wholesale unravelling of News International's defence of what went on at the News of the World | We are now seeing the wholesale unravelling of News International's defence of what went on at the News of the World |
| It was plainly not just "one rogue reporter", as the paper originally insisted and nor did the affair stop with the conviction of private investigator Glenn Mulcaire and royal editor Clive Goodman in 2007. | It was plainly not just "one rogue reporter", as the paper originally insisted and nor did the affair stop with the conviction of private investigator Glenn Mulcaire and royal editor Clive Goodman in 2007. |
| We also now know, thanks to the NoW's own inquiry this week into its now sacked assistant editor Ian Edmondson, that the paper's own e-mail system contained information sufficient to cause the police to start a new inquiry. | We also now know, thanks to the NoW's own inquiry this week into its now sacked assistant editor Ian Edmondson, that the paper's own e-mail system contained information sufficient to cause the police to start a new inquiry. |
| For the NoW this is very, very, bad news indeed. For the police, in some ways the questions are at least as hard. Had they investigated properly in the first place and taken action on evidence (which we now know implicated Ian Edmondson) that they had in their possession from the beginning, then this whole matter might have been cleared up fully. | For the NoW this is very, very, bad news indeed. For the police, in some ways the questions are at least as hard. Had they investigated properly in the first place and taken action on evidence (which we now know implicated Ian Edmondson) that they had in their possession from the beginning, then this whole matter might have been cleared up fully. |
| And Kelly Hoppen would almost certainly not have had her phone hacked at late as 2010. | And Kelly Hoppen would almost certainly not have had her phone hacked at late as 2010. |
| Alastair Campbell, who was former Prime Minister Tony Blair's director of communications in Downing Street, also criticised the police. | Alastair Campbell, who was former Prime Minister Tony Blair's director of communications in Downing Street, also criticised the police. |
| "Why was none of this done before, either by the newspaper group or by the police? Both of them, I think, still have a lot of things to answer," he said. | "Why was none of this done before, either by the newspaper group or by the police? Both of them, I think, still have a lot of things to answer," he said. |
| "I'm very pro-police. I don't like sitting here attacking the police, but their investigation so far has been absolutely woeful, and it's absolutely right another set of officers comes in and looks at this." | "I'm very pro-police. I don't like sitting here attacking the police, but their investigation so far has been absolutely woeful, and it's absolutely right another set of officers comes in and looks at this." |
| Former Scotland Yard assistant commissioner Brian Paddick, who believes his phone was hacked into by another newspaper, accused the force of running scared of the press. | Former Scotland Yard assistant commissioner Brian Paddick, who believes his phone was hacked into by another newspaper, accused the force of running scared of the press. |
| "There is a whole media machine at New Scotland Yard, designed to try and make sure the police are portrayed positively in the media. The last thing the police want to do is to upset newspaper editors, which could result in biased reporting against the police." | "There is a whole media machine at New Scotland Yard, designed to try and make sure the police are portrayed positively in the media. The last thing the police want to do is to upset newspaper editors, which could result in biased reporting against the police." |
| BBC business editor Robert Peston has learned that News International, which owns the paper, uncovered four e-mails showing that Mr Edmondson had full knowledge of illegal phone hacking. The details were passed to police. | BBC business editor Robert Peston has learned that News International, which owns the paper, uncovered four e-mails showing that Mr Edmondson had full knowledge of illegal phone hacking. The details were passed to police. |
| The new documents seen by the BBC relate to the hacking of a phone owned by interior designer Kelly Hoppen in 2010, allegedly by reporter Dan Evans, who was suspended from the paper last year. | The new documents seen by the BBC relate to the hacking of a phone owned by interior designer Kelly Hoppen in 2010, allegedly by reporter Dan Evans, who was suspended from the paper last year. |
| She had successfully won a court order forcing a telephone company to release the identity of anyone allegedly trying to hack her phone between June 2009 and March 2010. | She had successfully won a court order forcing a telephone company to release the identity of anyone allegedly trying to hack her phone between June 2009 and March 2010. |
| Both Ms Hoppen and her stepdaughter, the actress Sienna Miller, are taking action against the newspaper. News International and Mr Evans are defending the allegations. | Both Ms Hoppen and her stepdaughter, the actress Sienna Miller, are taking action against the newspaper. News International and Mr Evans are defending the allegations. |
| The Guardian has previously reported that Mr Evans's defence is he phoned Ms Hoppen's number for legitimate reasons and accidentally accessed her voicemail when the keys on his own phone got stuck. | The Guardian has previously reported that Mr Evans's defence is he phoned Ms Hoppen's number for legitimate reasons and accidentally accessed her voicemail when the keys on his own phone got stuck. |
| In a statement NoW said: "We have carried out an extensive investigation led by a team of independent forensic specialists and we have found no evidence whatsoever to support this allegation. | In a statement NoW said: "We have carried out an extensive investigation led by a team of independent forensic specialists and we have found no evidence whatsoever to support this allegation. |
| "The civil litigation is ongoing, as is the internal investigation and until both are concluded it would be inappropriate to comment further. | "The civil litigation is ongoing, as is the internal investigation and until both are concluded it would be inappropriate to comment further. |
| "However, we are disappointed the BBC chose to lead with this misleading report without giving the News of the World an opportunity to respond." | "However, we are disappointed the BBC chose to lead with this misleading report without giving the News of the World an opportunity to respond." |
| Media storm | Media storm |
| Earlier, a NoW spokeswoman confirmed Mr Edmondson's sacking, and said the paper would take "swift and decisive action when we have proof of wrongdoing". | Earlier, a NoW spokeswoman confirmed Mr Edmondson's sacking, and said the paper would take "swift and decisive action when we have proof of wrongdoing". |
| Mr Edmondson was suspended from active duties last month after he was identified in court documents as having instructed private investigator Glenn Mulcaire to access phone messages. | Mr Edmondson was suspended from active duties last month after he was identified in court documents as having instructed private investigator Glenn Mulcaire to access phone messages. |
| Mulcaire was jailed for six months in January 2007 alongside royal editor Clive Goodman, who was sentenced to four months, for hacking into the mobile phones of royal aides. | Mulcaire was jailed for six months in January 2007 alongside royal editor Clive Goodman, who was sentenced to four months, for hacking into the mobile phones of royal aides. |
| A source at News International told the BBC: "We have decided to root out and hunt down anyone connected with this practice. We are determined to end this." | A source at News International told the BBC: "We have decided to root out and hunt down anyone connected with this practice. We are determined to end this." |
| The new Met inquiry follows the resignation last week of Prime Minister David Cameron's official spokesman Andy Coulson, who said the media storm surrounding ongoing hacking claims had distracted him from his work. | The new Met inquiry follows the resignation last week of Prime Minister David Cameron's official spokesman Andy Coulson, who said the media storm surrounding ongoing hacking claims had distracted him from his work. |
| Mr Coulson edited the News of the World from 2003 to 2007 and resigned following the convictions of Goodman and Mulcaire. | Mr Coulson edited the News of the World from 2003 to 2007 and resigned following the convictions of Goodman and Mulcaire. |
| However, he has always denied having any knowledge of hacking, and a source close to him has told the BBC he is not implicated in any way by the new evidence that has come to light. | However, he has always denied having any knowledge of hacking, and a source close to him has told the BBC he is not implicated in any way by the new evidence that has come to light. |