Police in Britain arrested six people on Tuesday morning in connection with media phone hacking scandal. One of those arrested was Rebekah Brooks, the former executive for Rupert Murdoch’s News International. The persons arrested were not immediately named by police but Brooks’ name came out from a person who had been briefed on the arrests. Brooks’ husband was also arrested at the couple’s home. He is a friend of Prime Minister David Cameron and is a well-known horse breeder.
The six were arrested for suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the court of justice, according to a statement released by police. Also arrested was Mark Hanna, the head of security for News International, which runs Murdoch’s newspapers in Britain. The news of Hanna’s arrest was confirmed by News International. No information was released about where he was arrested.
The arrests occurred at various locations in London during raids that were carried out between 5 and 7 a.m. on Tuesday morning, according to the Metropolitan Police. In Oxfordshire, a 43-year-old woman was arrested, according to police. A 49-year-old man was arrested at his home in Oxfordshire too. Brooks and her husband live in Oxfordshire in the town of Chipping Norton, which is where they were arrested.
Also arrested were a 39-year-old man from Hampshire, a 46-year-old man from West London, a 38-year-old man from Hertforshire and a 48-year-old man from East London. The company owned by Murdoch has reached multiple cash settlements with some of the victims of the hacking scandal. Recently, multiple arrests were made after investigations involving the press and the police regarding corrupt relationships.
The first investigation into the phone hacking scandal was launched in 2006 and an inquiry has been filed by Cameron to find out why nothing was found back then. Back then, the executives of the company said that the hacking was performed by one reporter and an unprincipled private detective. Both of those people were jailed.
The stalled police investigation was restarted in 2011 when it was found that reporters hacked the voicemail of a schoolgirl who had gone missing and was found murdered. Andy Coulson, the top media advisor for Cameron, resigned from his post because of that investigation. Coulson was the editor of the News of the World. Brooks was arrested because of this investigation and released on bail. Both people denied doing anything wrong in the case.
Sienna Miller, Charlotte Church and others have reached cash settlements with the company owned by Murdoch.