SIX PEOPLE HAVE been arrested by police investigating phone hacking allegations against journalists in the UK.

The arrests were confirmed this morning by the Metropolitan Police with Sky News and the Telegraph reporting that the former chief executive of News International, Rebekah Brooks, is among those who have been arrested.

Both are also reporting that the former editor of The Sun and the News of The World’s racehorse training husband Charlie Brooks is among those who have been arrested.

Police said only that one woman and five men were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice as part of Operation Weeting, Scotland Yard’s inquiry into phone hacking at the now defunct News of The World and other newspapers.

Those arrested were described as a 49-year-old man and 43-year-old woman, both from Oxfordshire, a 39-year-old man from Hampshire, a 46-year-old man from west London, a 38-year-old man from Herfordshire and a 48-year-old man from east London.

The six are being questioned at police stations in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, West London, East London and Central London.

Brooks was arrested in July of last year on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications as part of Operation Elveden, a separate investgtion into suspicion of corruption, and Operating Weeting.

BBC News reports that the latest arrests bring to 45 the total number of those who have been arrested as part of Operation Weeting.

Shutdown: UK’s media watchdog closed in wake of phone hacking scandal

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