Hacking storm grows as papers are accused of targeting Brown

Reports suggested details from Mr Brown’s legal file and his Abbey National bank account may have been obtained, along with his baby son’s medical records.

News International sources last night were reported as being “comfortable” that stories published by the Sun about Mr Brown’s young son being diagnosed with cystic fibrosis were obtained via legitimate means. But Mr Brown said he was “shocked” by the way his family’s personal details could have been obtained through alleged “criminality” and “unethical means”.

In a statement, News International said it noted the allegations, adding: “So that we can investigate these matters further, we ask that all information concerning these allegations is provided to us.”

The increasing swirl of allegations surrounding News International have left owner Rupert Murdoch’s bid to take control of satellite broadcaster BSkyB hanging in the balance.

Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt referred the media tycoon’s proposed takeover of BSkyB to the Competition Commission after Mr Murdoch’s News Corporation, the parent company of News International, yesterday withdrew its offer to hive off Sky News as a separate firm as part of its bid to buy the 61 per cent of BSkyB that it does not already own.

In a statement defying City expectations that it would drop its takeover plans, it also said it was ready to “engage with” the Competition Commission over full ownership of the broadcaster.

Announcing that he was referring the bid to the regulator, Mr Hunt told MPs: “It will mean that the Competition Commission will be able to give further full and exhaustive consideration of this merger, taking into account all relevant recent developments.”

The move means News Corporation now faces a six- to eight-month wait to learn whether the BskyB deal can go ahead.

As the investigation continues to widen, police are believed to have warned Prince Charles and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, that their voicemail messages may have been illegally accessed by News of the World employees. A spokesman for the Prince said: “We are not commenting on an ongoing police investigation.”

Meanwhile, Scotland Yard accused News International of “undermining” its investigation into claims that journalists paid corrupt police officers, by leaking details of the inquiry to the media.

The police attack on the company came after it emerged that emails handed to detectives suggest the News of the World paid protection officers around £1,000 for the contact details of senior members of the royal household.

The Metropolitan Police was informed last month when detectives were handed a fresh set of documents from News International as part of the long-running phone-hacking investigation, a source said.

Buckingham Palace, News International and Scotland Yard said they were unable to confirm the allegations.

One email showed former News of the World Royal editor Clive Goodman asking then-editor Andy Coulson for cash to buy a confidential directory of Royal phone numbers, it was reported.

Mr Goodman, 53, and Mr Coulson, 43, have been arrested and bailed until October on suspicion of bribing police officers.

Responding to the reports, Scotland Yard said: “It is our belief that information that has appeared in the media today is part of a deliberate campaign to undermine the investigation into the alleged payments by corrupt journalists to corrupt police officers and divert attention from elsewhere.

“At various meetings over the last few weeks, information was shared with us by News International and their legal representatives and it was agreed by all parties that this information would be kept confidential.

“However, we are extremely concerned and disappointed that the continuous release of selected information – that is only known by a small number of people – could have a significant impact on the corruption investigation.”

Meanwhile News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks, who was editor of the News of the World when murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler’s voicemail messages were allegedly intercepted illegally, faced a fresh call from the Dowler family for her resignation.