Former News of the World chief reporter was arrested by officers from Operation Weeting in MarchNeville Thurlbeck was held after he published the home address of an executive on News Corporation’s management and standards committee on his website. The former News of the World chief reporter, Neville Thurlbeck, will not be prosecuted over claims of witness intimidation relating to the phone-hacking scandal, the Crown Prosecution Service has said.
Thurlbeck was arrested in March by officers from Operation Weeting, the Metropolitan police investigation into phone hacking, on suspicion of intimidating a witness and encouraging or assisting an offence.
The former News of the World journalist was held after he published the home address of an executive on News Corporation's management and standards committee on his website on 7 March.
The CPS said on Friday that Thurlbeck should not be prosecuted over the incident.
Alison Levitt QC, principal legal adviser to the director of public prosecutions, said: "The CPS has received a request from the officers investigating Operation Weeting for charging advice in relation to Neville Thurlbeck, suspected of witness intimidation and harassment. This relates to a blog posted by Mr Thurlbeck on 7 March 2012 in which he gave the home address of a member of News International's management standards committee.
"Having applied the full test set out in the code for crown prosecutors the CPS has concluded that no prosecution should take place. Given that the journalist in question remains on bail for further offences we do not intend to give any further information at this point. Mr Thurlbeck remains on police bail on suspicion of offences under Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000."
Thurlbeck remains on police bail on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications and the unlawful interception of voicemail messages. He is bailed to return to a south-west London police station in May.
Thurlbeck said in a statement: "I am pleased the CPS has advised the police that no further action should be taken with regard to an allegation concerning one of my blog postings on nevillethurlbeck.com. I'd like to thank my family, friends and colleagues in the industry for their unswerving loyalty, support and continued belief in me.
"And also my lawyer Henri Brandman for his wise counsel. I am fortunate to retain the services of one of London's finest lawyers."
Separately, the former chief executive of News International, Rebekah Brooks, has been rebailed until early May in relation to inquiries being conducted by the Operation Weeting team, Scotland Yard has confirmed.
Brooks had already been rebailed once, and her latest bail date expired earlier this week.
She has also been rebailed until late May in relation to her arrest in connection with Operation Elveden, the Met investigation into alleged illegal payments to police officers and other public officials, and also rebailed until late May in relation to her arrest in March on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
Keir Starmer, the director of public prosecutions, said last week that Scotland Yard has asked the CPS to consider charges against four journalists and others linked to alleged phone hacking and corrupt payments to public officials.
Starmer did not name the individuals, but said the files received by the CPS comprise:
• a file relating to one journalist and one police officer with relation to alleged offences of misconduct in public office and the data protection act.
• a file relating to one journalist and six other members of the public with relation to alleged offences of perverting the course of justice in relation to the phone-hacking inquiry.
• a file relating to one journalist, Thurlbeck, with relation to alleged offences of witness intimidation and harassment, and
• a file relating to one journalist with relation to alleged offences under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act that covers the interception of communications.
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