Seventh arrest over hacking charges

Lucy Panton, 37, who is married to a Scotland Yard detective, was questioned at a south London police station after officers swooped on her Surrey home at dawn.

She is the seventh suspect arrested under Operation Elveden, which runs alongside the Operation Weeting hacking inquiry. She has been released on police bail until a date in late April next year.

Ms Panton, who has two young children, was promoted from crime correspondent to crime editor in October 2005.

She remained at the paper until it was shut down at the height of the hacking scandal in July.

Elveden was launched after officers were handed documents suggesting News International journalists made illegal payments to police officers.