Assistant commissioner John Yates defends 2006 investigation but says that the police will examine new allegations by former News of the World reporter Sean Hoare
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Scotland Yard will examine fresh allegations of phone hacking at the News of the World following last week's investigation by the New York Times , said Met police assistant commissioner John Yates today.
The Times article features allegations by former News of the World reporter Sean Hoare that phone hacking was widespread at the newspaper and that then-editor Andy Coulson, now director of communications for Downing Street, "actively encouraged" the practice. In an interview today on BBC Radio 4 , Yates defended the 2006 investigation into the tabloid, saying that Hoare, who was not questioned as part of the original investigation, had "come from nowhere".
"This is the first time we have heard of Mr Hoare or anything he has to say. He didn't form a line of enquiry.
"We focused our resources where we thought we could get the best evidence. He has come from nowhere, we are surprised that the New York Times did not give us this information earlier than they did," he added.
When asked why the police did not have the information first, he answered: "There are a number of journalists at the News of the World and across the whole of News International. We have to focus our resources where we think we can get the best evidence, not go on a wild goose chase."
Yates confirmed that Hoare's claims will be considered following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service.
"We've heard what Mr Hoare's had to say, we've been in touch with the New York Times for many months prior to the publication of the article, seeking any new material or new evidence that they had. They didn't produce any until they published this with Mr Hoare.
"It is new and we'll be considering it, and consulting with the Crown Prosecution Service before we do."
Yates stood by the original investigation saying it was "very thorough".
"It resulted in the conviction of two people, it resulted in a very complex area of law being clarified and it sent an extremely strong deterrent message (...) I would say this was a successful investigation."
Culture, media and sport committee chairman John Whittingdale, who chaired the body's 2006 inquiry and
reported in February this year that there was no evidence to suggest the practices were continuing , today told the BBC he was against the reopening of the inquiry. According to a BBC report , Whittingdale said the previous investigation by the committee "was as detailed as it could be at the time and it stood by its conclusions".
Last week John Prescott, who was informed by the police that his name was found on an invoice addressed to a private investigator from the News of the World, told the BBC he was giving the police a week to respond to his request for details on whether his messages were intercepted.
But today Yates maintained there is no evidence Prescott's phone was hacked.
"There's a misunderstanding here that suggests that just because your name features in a private investigator's files that your phone has been hacked. It is not an offence as far as I am aware of to be a private investigator.
"The fact that John Prescott appeared on an invoice does not mean his phone has been hacked, it means he is of interest to a private investigator," he added.
When asked if Prescott would receive the documentation relating to his query Yates said: "We cannot just supply willy-nilly to people material we have gathered during the course of a criminal investigation for another process."
