Phone hacking: Scotland Yard to contact further possible victims

Scotland Yard detectives are re-examining phone-hacking evidence to determine whether a series of high-profile individuals had their voicemails intercepted.

In a statement issued today, the Metropolitan police said that analysis of documents seized in 2005, alongside new evidence, has identified a number of individuals who were previously told that the Met had "little or no information" about their phones being hacked but who may in fact have been targeted.

The Met said today that there was no evidence that the voicemails of these individuals were hacked, but added an "important and immediate new line of inquiry" was underway.

Detectives investigating the case – part of the recently formed Specialist Crime Directorate 'Operation Weeting' team – have also committed to "adopting a fresh approach towards informing victims and potential victims in this case", including renewing contact with people the Met already knows to be victims. 

Deputy assistant commissioner Sue Akers, leading the new investigation, said:

"In time, we will go beyond this group of individuals and make contact with everyone who had some of their personal contact details found in the documents seized in 2005. This will ensure all of those who have been affected in some way are made aware of the information we have found relating to them."

Akers refused to discuss the numbers of individuals potentially involved, but said that the Met would make the information public "at the earliest opportunity".

Scotland Yard relaunched its inquiry into phone hacking at the News of the World last month after receiving "significant new information".

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