Former News of the World legal manager Tom Crone to face no further action over phone-hacking allegation

Former News of the World legal manager Tom Crone has been told he will not face prosecution over phone-hacking.

Crone was arrested on 30 August 2012 under Operation Weeting on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications contrary to Section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977.

The Crown Prosecution Service also announced today that Crone, who was not named by the CPS, will face no further action over an allegation of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Gregor McGill, a senior lawyer at the Crown Prosecution Service said: "After careful consideration it has been decided that there is insufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction. This decision has been made in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

"Any decision by the CPS does not imply any finding concerning guilt or criminal conduct; the CPS makes decisions only according to the test set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors and it is applied in all decisions on whether or not to prosecute."

During the hacking trial, the Old Bailey heard that recordings of messages from David Blunkett to Kimberly Quinn, of the Spectator magazine, were recovered from a safe in the office of Crone.