Three more arrests in Operation Elveden payments probe

Police have arrested three more people as part of Operation Elveden, the investigation into alleged inappropriate payments by the media to police officers and other public officials.

The arrests, early this morning, were the result of information provided to police by News Corporation's management and standards committee and relate to suspected payments to a public official, the Metropolitan police said in a release.

A 36-year-old man, reported to be a Sun journalist, was arrested at his home address in Kent on suspicion of conspiracy to corrupt under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906 and suspicion of conspiracy to cause misconduct in a public office, contrary to common law. He is being questioned at a police station in Kent.

A 42-year-old man and 38-year-old woman were arrested at their home address in Lancashire. The man, a former member of the armed forces, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in a public office and the woman on suspicion of aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office (both contrary to common law). They are being questioned at a police station in Lancashire.

The addresses of those arrested are being searched. The Metropolitan police stressed in a statement that today's operation was "not about seeking journalists to reveal confidential sources in relation to information that has been obtained legitimately".

So far, 26 people have been arrested as part of Operation Eleveden.

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