Police arrest third man in phone-hack scandal

Published on 14/04/2011 18:24

POLICE investigating the News of the World phone-hacking scandal have arrested another key figure at the top-selling tabloid.

James Weatherup, a senior reporter who has also worked as a news editor, was bailed yesterday after being held at a London police station.

He was the third journalist arrested since the Metropolitan Police reopened its inquiry into claims that staff hacked into the answerphone messages of celebrities and politicians.

Mr Weatherup was arrested at a property yesterday morning by the force's Operation Weeting team on suspicion of unlawfully intercepting mobile phone voicemail messages. He was bailed until September.

Neville Thurlbeck, 50, and Ian Edmondson, 42, were held earlier this month and have been released on police bail to return in September.

Lord Prescott, the former deputy prime minister, said the latest arrest was further evidence that News Corporation's takeover of BSkyB should be delayed until the police inquiry is complete.

Meanwhile, former Labour home secretary David Blunkett warned that phone-hacking by journalists was not limited to the News of the World.

Mr Blunkett said: "I'd like a proper police inquiry. It isn't, incidentally, just News International. I think the experience I'm aware of from eight, six, five years ago is undoubtedly there's more that's going on than meets the eye."

Former Tory party leader Michael Howard added: "I think that what we need is proper enforcement of the criminal law. If people have broken the criminal law, then they should be prosecuted in a rigorous way. That seems to be happening now, and that should continue."

Mr Weatherup has worked on national newspapers, including the People, for 25 years.