Private investigator Glenn Mulcaire has been arrested as part of the phone-hacking inquiry, according to Sky News sources. Police said a 41-year-old man was arrested on 12/7 as part of “Operation Weeting.” Mulcaire, who had worked for the News of the World paper, is the 18th suspect to be arrested as part of the inquiry. Those also questioned include former News International CEO Rebekah Brooks and David Cameron’s communications chief Andy Coulson. Mulcaire was allegedly hired by News of the World staffers to hack into individuals’ voicemails for story fodder.
He’s being held on suspicion of conspiracy to hack voicemail messages and perverting the course of justice. Mulcaire was jailed for six months in January 2007 after admitting intercepting voicemails on phones belonging to aides of the Royal Family, including messages left by Prince William.
He was also convicted of intercepting messages of public figures including publicist Max Clifford, Lib Dem MP Simon Hughes and the model, Elle MacPherson.
It is thought that more than 1,800 people have come forward with concerns that they have been hacked. The scandal led to the closure of the News of the World.
