Police chief in charge of phone hacking to quit after Olympics

Metropolitan Police deputy assistant commissioner Sue Akers, who has served on the force for 36 years, is in charge of the three linked inquiries into phone hacking, illicit payments and computer hacking.

She has also been leading MPs’ inquiries into the potential involvement of intelligence services in relation to detainees held abroad. Deputy commissioner Craig Mackey said that Ms Akers’ extensive detective experience would be missed, but her decision to step down would not be allowed to impact on the progress of the investigations.

Ms Akers, who joined the Met in 1976, took control of Operation Weeting – the Met’s inquiry into the phone-hacking scandal – in January 2011.

Operations Elveden, which is focusing on inappropriate payments to police, and Tuleta, which is looking at allegations of computer hacking, run alongside. Meanwhile, Scotland’s top civil servant and the head of the police’s phone hacking investigation have been asked to reveal whether Scottish Government phones were hacked.

First Minister Alex Salmond has, so far, refused to reveal to Parliament whether his phone has been hacked.

He has pledged to answer questions on the matter when he appears before the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics next month.

Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie today repeated accusations that Salmond is showing “contempt” to Holyrood by rebuffing MSP’s questions.

He has now asked Scottish Permanent Secretary Sir Peter Housden and detective superintendent John McSporran, head of the phone hacking investigation dubbed Operation Rubicon, for urgent answers.

TOM LAWRENCE