'In a bid to tackle widespread illegal news-gathering methods in the British media, Operation Elveden police arrested four current and former journalists and executives of the paper and a serving police officer after information was given to the Metropolitan Police by News Corporation, the paper's parent company.

Tabliod's arrested journalists were identified by the UK media as being Fergus Shanahan, 56, who worked as Rebekah Brooks's deputy when she was editor of The Sun from 2003 to 2009, Chris Pharo, 42, head of news; Graham Dudman, 48, ex-managing editor who now works as News International training role, Mike Sullivan, 48, the paper's crime editor.

All four men were “arrested on suspicion of corruption and aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office and conspiracy in relation to both these offences,” police said in a statement.'

Read more: UK Police Make Five Arrests in Bribery Probe