No further charges on News of the World phone hacking case

NO further charges will be brought over the News of the World phone hacking scandal because witnesses refused to co-operate with police, the Director of Public Prosecutions said.

Keir Starmer QC said the Sunday paper’s former reporter Sean Hoare made claims in a New York Times article about the prime minister’s communications chief Andy Coulson, who has faced calls to resign over the matter.

But Hoare refused to comment when questioned by police while other witnesses “either refused to co-operate with the police investigation, provided short statements which did not advance matters, or denied any knowledge of wrongdoing”, Starmer said.