Ex News of the World journalist held for intimidating witness

British authorities have arrested a former journalist at Rupert Murdoch's now-defunct tabloid 'News of the World' on suspicion of intimidating a witness.

Updated on: Mar 15, 2012, 08:59:33 IST

PTI | By HT Correspondent, London

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British authorities have arrested a former journalist at Rupert Murdoch's now-defunct tabloid 'News of the World' on suspicion of intimidating a witness.

51-year-old Neville Thurlbeck, the former chief reporter of the tabloid, has been on police bail since April 5 last year when he was arrested on suspicion of the illegal interception of mobile phone voicemails.

The Metropolitan Police in a statement said a 51-year-old man had been arrested "by appointment" at a central London police station by officers from Operation Weeting - the inquiry into phone hacking.

"He was arrested on suspicion of intimidation of a witness and encouraging or assisting an offence," the statement said.

Thurlbeck's arrest comes a day after former News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks and her husband Charlie Brooks, a close friend of Prime Minister David Cameron, were arrested by Operation Weeting officers on suspicion of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

Murdoch shut down the tabloid in in July last year over the phone-hacking scandal.

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