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  1. Media Law
March 20, 2013updated 18 Jul 2016 4:49pm

The accused: At least 64 UK journalists arrested and/or charged since April 2011

By William Turvill

At least 64 journalists have now been arrested and/or charged in the last three years as a result of police investigations stemming from the phone-hacking scandal.

So far 37 journalists have been charged.

Those arrested so far include 25 former News of the World journalists and 25 Sun journalists.

Many more journalists have been questioned under caution.

Here Press Gazette details all the confirmed UK journalists arrested and/or charged since April 2011 (last updated October 2014)

Operation Weeting/Hacking

Investigation into allegations of illegal mobile phone voicemail interception.

Ian Edmondson, former assistant editor of News of the World

Arrested on 5 April 2011 on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications and unlawful interception of voicemail messages

Charged on 24 July 2012 on 12 counts of conspiracy to intercept mobile phone voicemail messages without lawful authority

Pleaded guilty on 3 October 2014

ian-edmondson

Neville Thurlbeck, former chief reporter at News of the World

Arrested on 5 April 2011 on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications and unlawful interception of voicemail messages

Charged on 24 July 2012 on eight counts of conspiracy to intercept mobile phone voicemail messages without lawful authority

Pleaded guilty, sentenced to six months prison

James Weatherup, former assistant news editor of News of the World

Arrested on 14 April 2011 on suspicion of unlawfully intercepting communications

Charged on 24 July 2012 on eight counts of conspiracy to intercept mobile phone voicemail messages without lawful authority

Pleaded guilty, given four-month suspended sentence

Terenia Taras, freelance journalist

Arrested on 23 June 2011 on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications

Cleared in July 2012

Laura Elston, Press Association royal correspondent

Arrested on 27 June 2011 on suspicion of intercepting communications

Cleared on 18 July 2011

Andy Coulson, former editor of News of the World and ex-Downing Street communications director

Arrested on 8 July 2011 on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications and in relation to alleged illegal payments to police officers

Charged on 24 July 2012 on five counts of conspiracy to intercept mobile phone voicemail messages without lawful authority

Found guilty by jury, sentenced to 18 months jail

Neil Wallis, former executive editor of News of the World

Arrested on 14 July 2011 on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications

Cleared on 22 February 2013 by the Crown Prosecution Service

Questioned again by Operation Pinetree (looking at allegations of hacking in the NoW features department) and charged on 30 July 2014 with conspiring to illegally listen to voicemails.

Rebekah Brooks, former News International chief executive

Arrested on 17 July 2011 in relation to phone hacking and illegal payments to police

Charged on 24 July 2012 on three counts of conspiracy to intercept mobile phone voicemail messages without lawful authority

Found not guilty by a jury

Stuart Kuttner, former managing editor of News of the World

Arrested on 2 August 2011 as part of Operation Weeting

Charged on 24 July 2012 on three counts of conspiracy to intercept mobile phone voicemail messages without lawful authority

Found not guilty by a jury

Greg Miskiw, former news editor of News of the World

Arrested on 10 August 2011 on suspicion of unlawful interception of communications and on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications

Charged on 24 July 2012 on ten counts of conspiracy to intercept mobile phone voicemail messages without lawful authority

Pleaded guilty, sentenced to six months in prison

James Desborough, former Hollywood reporter of News of the World

Arrested on 18 August 2011 on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications

Cleared in March 2012

james_desborough

Dan Evans, former News of the World reporter

Arrested on 19 August 2011 on suspicion of phone-hacking

Charged on 2 September, 2013 with offences linked to phone-hacking, conspiring to commit misconduct in public office and making a false witness statement

Pleaded guilty and convicted in July 2014. After admitting phone-hacking, conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office and perverting the course of justice escaped jail because of willingness to give evidence against former colleagues.

Ross Hall, former News of the World reporter

Arrested on 2 September 2011 on suspicion of conspiracy to intercept voicemail messages and attempting to pervert the course of justice

Cleared in July 2012

Raoul Simons, deputy football editor at The Times

Arrested on 7 September 2011 on suspicion of conspiracy to intercept voicemail messages

Cleared in July 2012

Bethany Usher, former News of the World reporter

Arrested on 30 November 2011 suspicion of intercepting voicemail messages

Cleared on 8 December 2011

Rebekah Brooks, former News International chief executive

Re-arrested on 13 March 2012 on suspicion of perverting the course of justice

Charged on 15 May 2012 with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice

Found not guilty by a jury

rebekah brooks 7777

39-year-old male former News of the World journalist

Arrested in Greenwich on 13 February 2013 on suspicion of conspiracy to intercept telephone voicemails

Told on 16 July 2014 that they will face no further action

46-year-old male former News of the World journalist

Arrested in Wandsworth  on 13 February 2013 on suspicion of conspiracy to intercept telephone voicemails.

Former News of the World features editor Jules Stenson was charged on 30 July 2014 with conspiracy to hack voicemail messages.

45-year-old male former News of the World journalist

Arrested in Wandsworth on on 13 February 2013 on suspicion of conspiracy to intercept telephone voicemails

Told on 16 July 2014 that they will face no further action

39-year-old female former News of the World journalist

Arrested in Cheshire on 13 February 2013 on suspicion of conspiracy to intercept telephone voicemails

Told on 16 July 2014 that they will face no further action

33-year-old female former News of the World journalist

Arested in Islington on 13 February 2013 on suspicion of conspiracy to intercept telephone voicemails

Told on 16 July 2014 that they will face no further action

40-year-old female former News of the World journalist

Arrested in Lambeth on 13 February 2013 on suspicion of conspiracy to intercept telephone voicemails

Told on 16 July 2014 that they will face no further action

James Scott, editor of the Sunday People

Arrested on 14 March 2013 on suspicion of conspiracy to intercept telephone communications

Still on bail

Tina Weaver, former Sunday Mirror editor

Arrested on 14 March 2013 on suspicion of conspiracy to intercept telephone communications

Still on bail

Mark Thomas, former Sunday People editor

Arrested on 14 March 2013 on suspicion of conspiracy to intercept telephone communications

Still on bail

Nick Buckley, Sunday People deputy editor

Arrested on 14 March 2013 on suspicion of conspiracy to intercept telephone communications

Still on bail

Graham Johnson, formerly of the Sunday Mirror, was questioned under caution and it was announced on 15 October over allegedly hacking phones at the paper in 2001.

Operation Elveden/Payments

Investigation into allegations of illegal payments made to public officials.

Andy Coulson, former editor of News of the World and ex-Downing Street communications director

Arrested on 8 July 2011 on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications and in relation to alleged illegal payments to police officers

Charged on 20 November 2012 with two counts of conspiracy relating to request and authorisation of alleged payments to public officials

Jury could not reach a decision, to face a retrial

Clive Goodman, former royal editor at News of the World

Arrested on 8 July 2011 in connection with alleged illegal payments to police

Charged on 20 November 2012 with two counts of conspiracy relating to the request and authorisation of alleged payments to public officials

Jury could not reach a decision, to face a retrial

Rebekah Brooks, former News International chief executive

Arrested on 17 July 2011 in relation to phone hacking and illegal payments to police

Charged on 20 November 2012 with conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office

Cleared

Stuart Kuttner, former managing editor of News of the World

Arrested on 2 August 2011

Not charged

Jamie Pyatt, reporter at The Sun

Arrested on 4 November 2011 in connection with allegations of inappropriate payments to police

Charged on 21 June 2013

Lucy Panton, former crime editor of News of the World

Arrested on 15 December 2011 as part of an investigation into alleged payments to police officers

Charged on 8 July 2013 with conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office

Mike Sullivan, crime editor of The Sun

Arrested on 28 January 2012 on suspicion of corruption, aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office and conspiracy in relation to the two previous offences

Cleared on 2 April 2013

Graham Dudman, former managing editor of The Sun

Arrested on 28 January 2012 on suspicion of corruption, aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office and conspiracy in relation to the two previous offences

Charged on 20 August 2013

Fergus Shanahan, executive editor of The Sun

Arrested on 28 January 2012 on suspicion of corruption, aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office and conspiracy in relation to the two previous offences

Charged on 18 April 2013 with conspiring with a public official and a journalist to commit misconduct in a public office between 7 August 2006 and 14 August 2007.

Chris Pharo, news desk executive of The Sun

Arrested on 28 January 2012 on suspicion of corruption, aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office and conspiracy in relation to the two previous offences

Charged on 8 July 2013 with conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office

Geoff Webster, associate editor of The Sun

Arrested on 11 February 2012 on suspicion of corruption, aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office, and conspiracy in relation to both these offences

Charged on 20 March 2013 with authorising payments to public officials for information

John Kay, chief reporter at The Sun

Arrested on 11 February 2012 on suspicion of corruption, aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office, and conspiracy in relation to both these offences

Charged on 20 November, 2012, with conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office

Sun chief reporter John Kay

John Edwards, picture editor at The Sun

Arrested on 11 February 2012 on suspicion of corruption, aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office, and conspiracy in relation to both these offences

Charged on 21 June 2013

Nick Parker, chief foreign correspondent at The Sun

Arrested on 11 February 2012 on suspicion of corruption, aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office, and conspiracy in relation to both these offences

Charged on 18 June 2013 with conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office.

John Sturgis, deputy news editor at The Sun

Arrested on 11 February 2012 on suspicion of corruption, aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office, and conspiracy in relation to both these offences

Cleared on 18 June 2013

Virginia Wheeler, defence editor of The Sun

Arrested on 1 March 2012 on suspicion of corruption under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906 and aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office (contrary to common law) and conspiracy in relation to both offences

Charged  on 22 January 2013 with conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office

Charges dropped on 5 June 2013 on health grounds

Duncan Larcombe, royal editor of The Sun

Arrested on 19 April 2012 on suspicion of conspiracy to corrupt and conspiracy to cause misconduct in a public office

Charged on 24 April 2013 with making payments to a soldier and his wife

Duncan Larcombe

Former Sun East Anglia district reporter John Troup, 47, of Saffron Walden

Interviewed under caution on 21 May 2013

Charged on 20 August 2013 with conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office

Sun Whitehall editor Clodagh Hartley

Arrested on 25 May 2012 on suspicion of conspiracy to corrupt under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906, suspicion of conspiracy to cause misconduct in a public office, contrary to common law and suspicion of bribery, contrary to the Bribery Act 2010

Charged on 14 May 2013 along with two others with conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office

Neil Millard, reporter at The Sun

Arrested on 14 June 2012 on suspicion of corruption

Charged on 26 February 2014 with conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office

Greig Box-Turnbull, former Daily Mirror journalist

Arrested on 4 July 2012 on suspicion of corruption, conspiracy to commit bribery and conspiracy to cause misconduct in a public office

Charged on 20 August 2013

Justin Penrose, Sunday Mirror crime correspondent

Arrested on 11 July 2012 on suspicion to corrupt and of conspiracy to cause misconduct in a public office

Cleared by the CPS on 8 July 2013

Tom Savage, deputy news editor of the Daily Star Sunday

Arrested on 11 July 2012 on suspicion to corrupt and of conspiracy to cause misconduct in a public office

Charged on 8 July 2013 with conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office

Vince Soodin, Sun online news editor, 37 (now 38)

Arrested on 8 August 2012 over the suspected bribery of a police officer

Charged on 20 August

51-year-old Sun journalist from Bristol – named in the Bristol Post as the paper’s South West reporter John Coles.

Arrested on 19 September 2012 on suspicion of conspiracy to corrupt and conspiracy to cause misconduct in a public office

Cleared on 23 April.

32-year-old Sun journalist from south east London – subsequently named as Tom Wells

Arrested on 19 September 2012 on suspicion of conspiracy to corrupt and conspiracy to cause misconduct in a public office

Charged on 26 February 2014

38-year-old journalist from Sussex

Woman arrested on 6 December 2012 on suspicion of conspiracy to corrupt and cause misconduct in a public office

Anthony France, crime reporter at The Sun

Arrested in Hertfordshire on 17 January 2013 on suspicion of conspiracy to corrupt and cause misconduct in a public office.

Charged 12 August 2014

Ben O’Driscoll, Daily Mail deputy news editor

Charged with conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public on 12 September 2013 (he had not previously been named, having only been questioned under caution and not arrested)

43-old-freelance journalist from Northumbria

Arrested on 13 September 2013 on suspicion of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office

Cleared by the CPS

Graham Brough, formerly of the Daily Mirror, was questioned under caution and it was announced on 26 February that he is face trial for conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office.

Brandon Malinsky, of The Sun, was questioned under caution and it was announced on 26 February that he is face trial for conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office.

Ryan Sabey, of The Sun (formerly News of the World), questioned under caution and it was announced on 15 August 2014 that he would face trial for alleged conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office.

Operation Tuleta

Investigation into allegations of computer-hacking.

Rhodri Phillips, reporter at The Sun

Arrested on 19 July 2012 on suspicion of handling stolen goods

Cleared on 21 August 2013

Nick Parker, chief foreign correspondent at The Sun

Arrested on 30 July 2012 on suspicion of handling stolen goods

Still on bail

37-year-old male journalist

Arrested on 31 July 2012 on suspicion of handling stolen goods

Told on 18 October 2013 that they will face no further action.

Patrick Foster, former media reporter for The Times

Arrested on 29 August 2012 on suspicion of computer hacking and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice

Still on bail

Former Sun journalist Ben Ashford

Arrested on 7 September 2012  on suspicion of offences under the Theft Act, Computer Misuse Act and on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice

Charged with handling stolen mobile and accessing computer data illegally

Found not guilty by a jury on 13 August 2014.

Chris Pollard, 30, Sun casual reporer

Arrested on 20 September 2012 on suspicion of handling a stolen mobile phone

Cleared on 28 August 2013

Alex Marunchak, former News of the World Ireland editor

Arrested on 2 October 2012 at his home in Kent on suspicion of offences under the Computer Misuse Act 1990 and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

Still on bail

Operation Rubicon

Investigations into allegations surrounding former MSP Tommy Sheridan’s defamation action against the News of the World and his subsequent conviction for perjury.

Andy Coulson, former News of the World editor  
Arrested and charged on 30 May 2012 by Strathclyde Police on suspicion of committing perjury
Douglas Wright, former News editor of the News of the World Scotland
Arrested and charged on 17 August 2012 with perjury and conspiracy to hack phones. He also faces allegations of other data protection offences, Strathclyde Police said.
Bob Bird, former editor of the News of the World Scotland
Former News of the World Scotland editor Bob Bird

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