During a dramatic day David Cameron’s former spin doctor Andy Coulson is arrested, the Prime Minister announces two public inquiries into phone hacking, and police raid the offices of the Daily Star.
The Prime Minister’s former spin doctor and former News of the World editor, Andy Coulson, was arrested at a South London police station this morning but was subsequently released and later in the day police raided his home, removing boxes of evidence.
Meanwhile, detectives also took away evidence from the desk of disgraced former News of the World royal correspondent Clive Goodman in a raid at his current workplace, the Daily Star. Mr Goodman has also been arrested.
In a day of dramatic developments – and all less than 24 hours since the closure of the News of the World was announced – David Cameron launched a brace of inquiries into both the News of the World phone hacking scandal and into the ethics of the press.
He also added to the mounting pressure on his friend Rebekah Brooks, saying he would have accepted her resignation.
Watch Channel 4 News reports from the last week of the News of the World - including exclusive footage
At News International’s headquarters in Wapping, initial shock over the closure of the News of the World has turned to fury; while company chief executive Rebekah Brooks apologised to staff at a specially convened meeting, a few dozen protestors outside called for her to resign.
Reports from inside the Wapping complex said that many News of the World staff have downed tools because they said that when they went into the office they were made to feel like criminals.
A security guard was stationed at the door to stop them stealing things; their passes barred them from the top floors so they couldn’t vent their anger on the executives. And access to Twitter and Facebook was blocked so they couldn’t spread gossip.