#hacking Met police drop action against the Guardian.

Scotland Yard has dropped bid to force the Guardian to reveal confidential sources behind phone hacking stories

The Metropolitan police claimed that the reporter Amelia Hill could have 'incited' a source to break the Official Secrets Act. Photograph: Katherine Rose for the Guardian

 

The Metropolitan police has dropped its attempt to force the Guardian to reveal confidential sources for stories relating to the phone-hacking scandal.

Scotland Yard wanted a court order to force Guardian reporters to reveal confidential sources for articles disclosing that the murdered teenager Milly Dowler's phone was hacked on behalf of the News of the World. They claimed that the paper's reporter Amelia Hill could have "incited" a source to break the Official Secrets Act.

A police spokesman said: "The Metropolitan Police's Directorate of Professional Standards consulted the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) about the alleged leaking of information by a police officer from Operation Weeting.

"The CPS has today asked that more information be provided to its lawyers and for appropriate time to consider the matter.

"In addition the MPS has taken further legal advice this afternoon and as a result has decided not to pursue, at this time, the application for production orders scheduled for hearing on Friday 23 September. We have agreed with the CPS that we will work jointly with them in considering the next steps."

The Met's attempt to identify potential police leaks was widely condemned....read more

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/sep/20/metropolitan-police-drop-hacking-sources-action