Journalist arrested over payments to officials

A 43-year-old journalist was today arrested by detectives investigating allegations of inappropriate payments to public officials by journalists.

Scotland Yard said the man was detained on suspicion of conspiracy to corrupt and suspicion of conspiracy to cause misconduct in a public office.

He was arrested at around 9am after attending a south west London police station by appointment, police said.

He is the 47th person to be arrested in connection with Operation Elveden, the investigation into allegations of inappropriate payments to police and public officials.

It is being supervised by the Independent Police Complaints Commission and is running in conjunction with Operation Weeting, the Yard's inquiry into phone hacking.

Today's arrest is the result of information provided to police by News Corporation's Management Standards Committee, which was set up in the wake of the scandal

On Thursday a serving member of the armed forces and his wife were also arrested in connection with Operation Elveden.

The woman, 32, was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit corruption and suspicion of conspiracy to cause misconduct in a public office while her husband, 42, was detained on suspicion of corruption contrary to the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906, misconduct in a public office and suspicion of conspiracy to commit both offences.

Police said the pair, from Surrey, have both been bailed to a date in March.

PA