Reporter of Britain's Sun newspaper arrested over hacking scandal

Nov 4, 2011, 18:56 GMT

London - A tabloid reporter who caused a sensation when he revealed the story of Britain's Prince Harry wearing a Nazi uniform for a fancy dress party has been arrested by police in connection with the hacking scandal surrounding the Murdoch newspaper empire.

Scotland Yard said a 48-year-old reporter who has been on the staff of the Sun newspaper for more than two decades had been arrested Friday in connection with allegations of corruption.

The journalist won a British Press Award in 2006 for exposing the story about Prince Harry, which made headlines around the world, according to the Press Association news agency.

The case is the first involving the mass-circulation Sun, following the closure of its Sunday equivalent, the News of the World, in July, as a result of the scandal.

The arrest is linked to a Scotland Yard probe into allegations that illegal payments were made to the police by reporters in return for information.

News International, the British arm of Rupert Murdoch's New York-based News Corporation, owns the Times, the Sunday Times and the Sun in Britain. The News of the World was its best-selling paper.

'News International can confirm that an employee has been arrested this morning. News International is co-operating with the Metropolitan Police in its various investigations,' said a statement from the company.

The arrest is the sixth to be made in connection with the investigations. The former head of Scotland Yard, Paul Stephenson, who resigned over the allegations in July, said only a handful of police officers were involved.

Police said earlier this week that the number of people whose mobile phone messages were intercepted by special investigators and journalists of the newspaper group had risen to around 5,800.

The long-running scandal has done severe damage to the reputation of Rupert Murdoch, the Australian newspaper magnate. His son and heir apparent, James Murdoch, the chairman of News International, is expected to face further questioning over the scandal in the British parliament.