A Sun reporter arrested 13 months ago for handling stolen goods never set eyes on the relevant item, Press Gazette has learned.

The arrest of Rhodri Phillips at 6.30am on 19 July 2012 by officers from the Operation Tuleta computer-hacking inquiry led to outrage among Sun colleagues at the time.

It has previously been reported that his arrest was linked to an MP’s mobile phone which was handed in to The Sun and that Phillips was tasked with finding out if the phone warranted a ‘security scare’ style story.