Former NoW reporter Bethany Usher to face no further police action

No further police action will be taken against a former News of the World reporter arrested last week in in connection with phone hacking.

The Metropolitan police announced the arrest of a woman on 30 November as part of Operation Weeting. At the time this was reported to be Bethany Usher, who is now a lecturer in journalism at Teesside University. Following her arrest the woman was released on bail with a return date in March next year "pending further inquiries".

Days after her arrest Usher released a statement to say she has "never been involved in the interception of telecommunications in any way" and has always "strictly adhered to the Press Complaints Commission code of practice".

Today the Metropolitan police issued a statement to confirm that no further action would be taken against her as of 7 December. Police would not confirm the identity of the woman but said there was only one arrest made on 30 November.

Teesside University had not responded to a request for comment at the time of writing.

According to her profile on Teesside University's website, Usher started as a trainee with the Sunderland Echo before going to work at the People and the News of the World.

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