Phone-hacking whistleblower Hoare found dead, police force in turmoil

Britain’s biggest police force was in turmoil tonight after another senior officer fell on his sword over the phone-hacking scandal.

Prime Minister David Cameron was forced to extend Parliament to tackle the crisis as Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner John Yates became the row’s latest scalp.

There was another dramatic twist tonight as it emerged phone-hacking whistleblower Sean Hoare had been found dead in “unexplained circumstances”.

The former News of the World showbusiness reporter, who alleged Andy Coulson “encouraged” him to hack phones, was found at his home in Hertfordshire, England after being reported missing, police sources confirmed.

Meanwhile, Mr Yates brushed aside new claims that he secured a job for the daughter of hacking suspect Neil Wallis by insisting his “conscience is clear”.

Britain’s top counter-terror officer said he had acted with complete integrity after announcing his resignation less than 24 hours after boss Paul Stephenson announced his intention to quit.

Mr Yates was understood to have been forced out after being warned he faced suspension and a damaging investigation by the police watchdog over criticism surrounding his handling of a review of the initial probe into the News of the World.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission was set to investigate several complaints over his relationship with Mr Wallis, a former executive at the Sunday tabloid.

London Mayor Boris Johnson said it was right for both Sir Paul and Mr Yates to stand down as he announced that Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick, the woman who ordered the police shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, would lead the Met’s counter-terror strategy on an interim basis.

Deputy Commissioner Tim Godwin takes temporary overall charge at the chaos-engulfed force before Sir Paul’s replacement is appointed, it was announced.

Mr Johnson said: “Whatever mistakes may have been made at any level in the police service, now is the time to clear them up.”

In 2009 Mr Yates carried out a one-day review that concluded there was no cause to reopen the original 2006 hacking investigation. Later that year he served on the committee that vetted Mr Wallis for the media adviser contract.

Mr Yates joins a growing list of casualties of the controversy, including Mr Coulson, News Corp veteran Les Hinton, former News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks and the 168-year-old newspaper itself.

Speaking in South Africa, David Cameron paid tribute to Mr Yates’ “strong leadership” on counter-terrorism policing.

The PM called for “swift and effective continuity at the Metropolitan Police Service” as he rejected suggestions that his own position had been tainted.

He delayed the start of MPs’ summer recess by a day so he could update the Commons about his response to the ongoing scandal on Wednesday.

In a parting shot, Sir Paul indicated that his decision to hire Mr Wallis as a media adviser was less controversial than the appointment of the newspaper’s ex-editor Mr Coulson as Downing Street communications director.

But asked about the barb during a trip to Africa, Mr Cameron insisted: “The situation in the Metropolitan Police Service is really quite different to the situation in the Government, not least because the issues that the Metropolitan Police are looking at, the issues around them, have had a direct bearing on public confidence in the police inquiry into the News of the World – and indeed into the police themselves.”

Meanwhile, Labour leader Ed Miliband sought to ratchet up the pressure by claiming the Prime Minister was “hamstrung” by connections to Mr Coulson and Ms Brooks.

Mr Yates and Sir Paul are due to face MPs tomorrow as two influential Commons committees grill the most important figures in both News International and the police.

From noon the Home Affairs Select Committee will question Sir Paul and Scotland Yard’s public affairs director, Dick Fedorcio.

It has also recalled Mr Yates so MPs can “clarify” the testimony he gave last week, when he expressed regret at his 2009 decision that there was no need to reopen the phone-hacking investigation.

The Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee will take evidence from media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, his son James and Ms Brooks, a former News International chief executive.

Ms Brooks, 43, was yesterday arrested and questioned for nine hours over alleged phone hacking and police corruption before being bailed until October.

Her lawyer, Stephen Parkinson, of Kingsley Napley, said that detectives put no allegations to her and showed her no documents connecting her to any crime during the interviews.

“The position of Rebekah Brooks can be simply stated: She is not guilty of any criminal offence,” he said.

“(The police) will in due course have to give an account of their actions, and in particular their decision to arrest her, with the enormous reputational damage that this has involved.”

Other new developments included:

:: The Serious Fraud Office said it would give “full consideration” to Labour MP Tom Watson’s calls for it to launch an investigation into Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation;

:: News Corporation established an independent body headed by senior barrister Lord Grabiner QC to lead its internal inquiry into the News of the World phone-hacking scandal;

:: Mr Miliband said Mr Cameron had a “whole series of unanswered questions” to address about his relationship with Ms Brooks and the Murdochs;

:: Press Association royal reporter Laura Elston, 34, who was arrested last month as part of the phone-hacking investigation, was told she will face no further police action.