Statement on phone hacking from the DPP

24/01/2011

Statement from Keir Starmer QC, the Director of Public Prosecutions:

"It has been agreed following a meeting this morning with Acting Commissioner Tim Godwin and Acting Deputy Commissioner John Yates, that any evidence resulting from recent or new substantive allegations made to the Metropolitan Police Service of mobile voicemail interception arising from the Goodman and Mulcaire case should be subject to the same rigorous assessment as Alison Levitt QC is applying to material already in the possession of the Metropolitan Police Service.

"I have asked Alison Levitt QC (who has had no previous involvement in the case) to take a robust approach with a view to advising whether the Metropolitan Police Service should carry out any further investigation or deciding whether any prosecutions can be brought.

"This builds upon the previous request by the MPS to the CPS to assess all the material relevant to phone hacking."