Top Met officers cleared over phone-hacking links

Allegations against former Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson and his ex-assistant John Yates were thrown out yesterday by the police watchdog.

Andy Hayman and Peter Clarke will also escape further investigation despite the “damaging effect of the perceived inadequate response” to criminal activities at the News of the World, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said.

Sir Paul and Mr Yates – who both resigned last month as police were engulfed by allegations of payments from journalists to officers and criticism over the force’s hiring of hacking suspect Neil Wallis as a PR consultant – welcomed the watchdog’s announcement.

Sir Paul said the ruling was “as I would have expected it to be” as he added that he regretted that resources “have had to be expended on this matter”. He criticised the IPCC for saying the public would make its own judgments about him accepting free hospitality while on sick leave.

“The IPCC’s comments about my acceptance of assistance from a friend through my family, unconnected to my professional life, of services from Champneys’ Medical Services, which they chose to examine under their powers without any external referral, does in my view fall a little short of full and proper context,” Sir Paul added.

“However, this is a matter for their judgment.”

An independent investigation into allegations that Mr Yates secured a Scotland Yard job for the daughter of Mr Wallis will continue.

Mr Yates said: “I strongly deny any wrongdoing and I am completely confident that I will be exonerated. I have been entirely open about this matter and I will co-operate fully with the investigation which I hope will be conducted swiftly.”

The officers were cleared as the crisis was re-ignited by fresh evidence claiming phone hacking was “widely discussed” at the now axed tabloid under Andy Coulson’s editorship.

Sir Paul, Mr Clarke, a former deputy assistant commissioner, Mr Yates and Mr Hayman, both former assistant commissioners, were cleared of wrongdoing on deadline day for applications for the next commissioner.

Ms Glass said there can be no doubt about the damaging impact on public confidence surrounding the inquiry.

“But while there can be little doubt of the effect on the public’s mind about the series of revelations regarding connections between senior police officers and News International, the IPCC must identify what is, and what is not, conduct that needs to be investigated,” she said.

A clear line must be drawn between what is a recordable conduct matter and public concerns that will be addressed by the public inquiry, she added.

“In relation to Sir Paul Stephenson, his conduct was referred by the MPA because of his responsibility for the alleged failings of John Yates. But while he is in principle answerable for decisions made on his watch as Commissioner for the Metropolis, I do not think he committed a misconduct offence because one of his officers may have carried out a poor investigation.”

Ms Glass said she had considered Sir Paul’s acceptance of hospitality from a family friend at Champneys’ luxury spa while he was on sick leave.

“The public will make its own judgments about whether any senior public official should accept hospitality to this extent from anyone – or indeed about a policy which regards hospitality as acceptable merely because it is disclosed,” she said.

POLICE INVESTIGATION

One of Britain’s top police officers sent a deadline day application to become Scotland Yard’s next Commissioner.

Sir Hugh Orde, president of the Association of Chief Police Officers( Acpo), confirmed his candidacy just hours before the job advert expired at noon yesterday.

Strathclyde chief constable Stephen House and former South Yorkshire officer Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Metropolitan Police’s current acting deputy commissioner, are also being linked with the post left vacant by Sir Paul Stephenson’s resignation over the phone-hacking scandal.

Sir Hugh had told MPs on Tuesday that he was still undecided about applying for the job.