Piers Morgan questioned by police over phone hacking claims

Piers Morgan has denied being personally involved in phone hacking

Piers Morgan was editor at the Daily Mirror for nine years (Getty Images)

Police have questioned Piers Morgan, the former Daily Mirror editor, in connection with claims of phone hacking.

The Metropolitan Police have confirmed that officers interviewed a 50-year-old man as part of Operation Golding, the codename for the investigation into the suspected conspiracy to intercept telephone voicemails.

The journalist himself confirmed that the police had interviewed him under caution.

In a statement seen by The Guardian, he said: “Some time ago I was asked to attend an interview with officers from Operation Golding when I was next in the UK.

“This was further to a previous voluntary interview I provided in December 2013.

“I attended that interview today.

“As this is an on-going investigation, I am unable to comment further until its conclusion.”

A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed Morgan was interviewed by appointment, and not arrested.

Morgan is currently the editor-at-large for MailOnline US, though the police are not thought to have questioned him in connection with his new role.

The journalist has tweeted about the interview, and sarcastically apologised for not being arrested.

He was previously interviewed under caution at the end of 2013 by officers investigating claims of illegal interception of voice mails by Mirror Group journalists.

He has always denied that he was personally involved in phone hacking.

Mr Morgan edited the Daily Mirror for nine years till his forced resignation in 2004 over the publication of faked pictures of British army personnel in Iraq.

He had a stint as CNN’s star interviewer in the United States, and is currently editor-at-large of the Daily Mail’s website in the US.

Evidence which alleged that Mr Morgan was in charge of the Daily Mirror during periods when phone-hacking is alleged to have taken place, has been presented to the civil trial involving victims of hacking against MGN.

The publisher has not denied hacking took place but has challenged who knew and the scale of the hacking inside the newspapers.

A decision on the scale of damages against the publisher is expected within weeks.

Counsel for the Met told the court earlier this year that a decision on who could face further criminal charges in connection with Operation Golding was “imminent”.

Four former Sunday Mirror journalists, including the Sunday Mirror’s former editor, Tina Weaver and former Sunday People editor, James Scott, were arrested over alleged phone hacking in early 2013. No charges have been brought.

Additional reporting by PA