SKYNEWS – Two men have been arrested on suspicion of unlawfully intercepting mobile phone voicemail messages in connection with the News of the World phone-hacking inquiry.
They are understood to be the newspaper’s chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck and former news editor Ian Edmondson.
The men, aged 50 and 42, were detained and questioned after attending separate police stations in south west London.
Both were released on police bail until September.
It comes as Sky sources revealed former Tory party treasurer Michael Spencer has asked the Metropolitan Police to look into whether he was also a victim of phone hacking.
The two arrests are the first since the Met probe was reopened into claims News of the World staff hacked into the answerphone messages of celebrities, politicians and royals.
A News International statement said: “In January, News International voluntarily approached the Met Police and provided information that led to the opening of the current police investigation.
“News International terminated the employment of the assistant editor (news) of the News of the World at the same time.
“News International has consistently reiterated that it will not tolerate wrong-doing and is committed to acting on evidence.
“We continue to co-operate fully with the ongoing police investigation.”
In another development, actress Sienna Miller has obtained a court ruling ordering mobile phone provider Vodafone to disclose data relating to other users.
Miss Miller is seeking damages from the News Of The World over the phone-hacking scandal.
She is also suing over 11 articles about her published in 2005 and 2006, which she claims made use of private information obtained by hacking into her voicemails.
The judge at London’s High Court said it had repercussions for other cases as Vodafone had been given data by the police in 2006 to identify customers whose voicemails had been accessed.
A number of other alleged victims of phone hacking have obtained similar disclosure applications against the Metropolitan Police in support of their privacy claims.
They include actor Jude Law, footballer Paul Gascoigne, former MP George Galloway, comedian Steve Coogan and sports commentator Andy Gray.
Meanwhile, director of public prosecutions Keir Starmer QC said prosecutors’ advice to Scotland Yard at the time of the original phone-hacking inquiry “did not limit the scope and extent of the criminal investigation”.
His comments to the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee contradicted evidence given last week by Acting Deputy Commissioner John Yates.
Labour MP Chris Bryant, who believes his own voicemails were hacked, said Mr Yates should now “consider his position” at Scotland Yard.