THE NEWS OF THE WORLD has suspended a news editor as part of investigations into allegations that the newspaper ‘hacked’ the phones of celebrities, including that of actress Sienna Miller.

Ian Edmondson, the paper’s associate news editor, was suspended before Christmas as part of the investigations into the scandal, which many former employees of the paper say was a widespread practice in the paper.

“The allegation is the subject of litigation,” a newspaper spokesperson said, “and our internal investigation will take place in tandem with that.

“If the conclusion of the investigation or the litigation is that the allegation is proven, appropriate action will be taken.”

The newspaper told Sky News it had a “zero-tolerance” approach to any wrongdoing.

Edmondson is being investigated as part of a court inquiry into claims that the newspaper intercepted voicemail messages on the phones of Sienna Miller and Jude Law; last month the Guardian obtained court documents suggesting Edmondson had hired a private investigator, Glenn Mulcaire, to hack into the phones.

Edmondson was hired by the paper’s former editor Andy Coulson, who resigned over the affair, and who was appointed David Cameron’s communications director last year.

Mulcaire and the paper’s former royal editor, Clive Goodman, were both jailed in 2007 for conspiracy to access the phone messages of members of the royal family.