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Police officers from Operation Weeting have arrested a 51-year-old man, reported in the press to be former News of the World chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck, "on suspicion of intimidation of a witness" and "encouraging or assisting an offence".

According to a police statement the man was arrested by appointment "at a central London police station" at around 4pm today (Wednesday).

The Metropolitan police statement adds: "He was arrested on suspicion of intimidation of a witness (contrary to Section 51 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994) and encouraging or assisting an offence (contrary to Section 46 of the Serious Crime Act 2007)." Operation Weeting is the police investigation into alleged phone hacking .

Neville Thurlbeck was previously arrested by officers from Operation Weeting on 5 April last year. The police statement today confirms the man arrested today was previously arrested on 5 April 2011 "on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications" and "unlawful interception of voicemail messages".

In relation to the April arrest, he was bailed and is due to return "to a south west London police station in May this year".

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Written by
Rachel Bartlett

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