Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2011/08/02/met_police_arrest_71_year_old_man_phone_hacking/

Cops arrest man over phone-hacking, police corruption claims

71-year-old cuffed this morning

By Kelly Fiveash

Posted in Security, 2nd August 2011 13:15 GMT

Scotland Yard officers investigating phone-hacking and police corruption claims at News International arrested a 71-year-old man this morning.

"At 10:50hrs on Tuesday, 2 August, officers from Operation Weeting together with officers from Operation Elveden arrested a man on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications, contrary to Section1(1) Criminal Law Act 1977 and on suspicion of corruption allegations contrary to Section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906," said the Met in a statement.

The unnamed man was arrested by appointment and is currently in custody at a north London police station.

Police reopened their investigation into phone-tapping allegations at News International's now-defunct tabloid News of the World in January this year, by ordering a fresh probe dubbed Operation Weeting.

A separate Independent Police Complaints Commission-supervised investigation – Operating Elveden – into allegations of "inappropriate payments to police" is also underway.

Reports suggest that former News International managing editor Stuart Kuttner is the man currently being held in custody by the Met.

The allegations against the man are identical to those faced by ex-News International boss Rebekah Brooks, who was arrested by Scotland Yard officers last month.

She was held in police custody on Sunday, 17 July on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications and on suspicion of corruption allegations relating to illegal police payments. ®