UK News

British police question Sun defence editor over corruption claims

Mar 1, 2012, 16:18 GMT

London - The defence editor of Britain's Sun newspaper was arrested Thursday on suspicion of paying public officials for information, publishing company News International confirmed.

Virginia Wheeler, 32, was questioned by police in connection with evidence provided by her employers in connection with investigations into corrupt payments to public officials.

Wheeler is the 11th employee of the Sun, a daily tabloid owned by newspaper magnate Rupert Murdoch, to have been arrested over the affair. She was later bailed.

The 10 journalists and employees held previously have also been freed on bail.

The spiralling scandal is being investigated by a special unit at Scotland Yard. Murdoch has pledged close cooperation with the investigators.

Earlier this week, the head of the Scotland Yard investigations, Sue Akers, said News International employees had made 'illegal payments to officials in all areas of public life.'

The scandal, which followed on from last year's outcry over the illegal hacking of mobile phone messages by News International journalists, has severely damaged Murdoch's reputation.

On Wednesday, Murdoch's son and heir, James, stepped down as executive chairman of News International, where he had been at the centre of the phone hacking storm.

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