Police act as phone hack row sparks into life

The Metropolitan Police said last night that detectives had received a dossier of evidence about suspicious activities at the News of the World in 2005 and 2006, and a new team would carry out the inquiry.

The decision came after the newspaper handed over material gathered during an internal investigation into its assistant editor (news) Ian Edmondson, who has been sacked.

Mr Edmondson was suspended from duty in December after he was linked to the scandal in documents relating to legal action by actress Sienna Miller lodged at the High Court.

Revealing the new investigation, a police spokesman said: "The Met has today received significant new information relating to allegations of phone hacking at the News of the World in 2005/06. As a result, the Met is launching a new investigation to consider this material.

"This work will be carried out by the specialist crime directorate which has been investigating a related phone hacking allegation since September 2010."

The new inquiry is one of the most significant developments in the controversy since the News of the World royal editor Clive Goodman was imprisoned in 2007 alongside private investigator Glenn Mulcaire after they admitted intercepting messages. The pair used mobile phone numbers and secret codes to hack into voicemails of celebrities and other high-profile people.

Until now the Met has repeatedly batted away calls for a new inquiry despite a steady flow of people also claiming to be victims of the scam. Reports last week claimed former Prime Minister Gordon Brown had written at least one letter to the Met over concerns his mobile phone was being targeted while he was Chancellor of the Exchequer.

The concerns were said to have coincided with the latter stages of Andy Coulson's editorship of the News of the World. Mr Coulson was editor of the Sunday newspaper when Goodman was charged and stepped down the day he was jailed.

Mr Coulson announced on Friday that he was resigning as Prime Minister David Cameron's director of communications amid continuing allegations of phone hacking by the newspaper's journalists while he was in charge.

Acting Commissioner Tim Godwin and Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer recently announced that senior lawyers would review evidence following growing criticism over the way that the complaints had been handled.

Confirming the sacking of Mr Edmondson, News of the World owners News International said in a statement: " Material evidence found during the course of the subsequent investigation has led to Mr Edmondson's dismissal.

"News International has informed the police, handed over the material it has found and will give its full co-operation going forward.

"News International reiterates that it will take swift and decisive action when we have proof of wrongdoing."

Senior politicians from both Government and Opposition have combined to demand that police investigate a fresh round of allegations as a number of public figures pursue civil legal actions against both the newspaper and police.