Independent investigation commences following fresh information from Operation Elveden

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is independently investigating an allegation of inappropriate disclosure of information between a senior Metropolitan Police Service officer and an executive at News International.

Operation Elveden, which relates to allegations police officers or public officials have accepted money for supplying information to journalists, was first referred to the IPCC in July 2011.

The investigation is examining contact made by an MPS officer and a News International executive during the original 2006 phone-hacking investigation and what information was provided by the officer to the executive. Independent investigators are examining whether the information provided was legitimately in the public domain or otherwise appropriately passed to the News International executive, and if not, whether the officer committed a criminal offence or may have a case to answer for misconduct.

At this stage there is no evidence to suggest any inappropriate payment, of any sort, having been made to the senior MPS officer.

IPCC Deputy Chair Deborah Glass said:

“Ever since Operation Elveden was first referred to the IPCC in July 2011 I have personally overseen the investigation involving alleged corrupt payments to police officers. A number of specific matters have since been referred and I have reviewed each on a case by case basis with a view to using our powers and resources as effectively a possible.

“In this case, the allegation of an inappropriate disclosure of information from an MPS officer to an executive at News International raises important issues of public confidence in the MPS and I believe it is right that we independently investigate this to determine if there was any wrongdoing.

“The Leveson Inquiry is, among other things, inquiring “into the way in which any relevant police force investigated allegations or evidence of unlawful conduct by persons within or connected with News International” and I will therefore be liaising with them on the extent to which the IPCC should explore the consequences of any inappropriate contact.” 

 

In addition to its wider supervisory role in relation to Operation Elveden, following referrals received the IPCC is currently supervising three investigations and conducting two independent investigations.

 

 

Note to editors: For media enquiries please contact the IPCC press office on 0207 166 3028