Operation Weeting, the police inquiry into illegal news-gathering by the News of the World, is to question former editor of the paper Rebekah Brooks. The investigation previously lead to the sentencing of prviate investigator Glenn Mulcaire for voicemail-hacking in 2007.

An investigation by the Guardian found that Brooks' own telephone was tapped by Scotland Yard due to concern over bribery allegations. In 2004 a Home Office warrant granted a police inquiry into reports of bribing police officers, buying confidential data and making large weekly payments to phone companies for streams of personal, protected information by the News of the World.

Four men were convicted of selling police information to the tabloid paper, though Brooks was not charged. At the time, she did admit to a House of Commons committee: "We have paid the police for information in the past."

Meanwhile today, the New of the World's publisher News International has named another nine phone-hacking victims, following eight last week, who could receive compensation. They include former MP George Galloway, actors Steve Coogan and Leslie Ash, former football executives David Davies and Mick McGurie, jockey Kieren Fallon, consultant Mary-Ellen Field, and PA to actor Jude Law, Ben Jackson.

Despite giving contrary evidence in the past, today Brooks denied "knowledge of any specific cases" of police officer bribery.