Kelly Hoppen sues News of the World over alleged phone hacking

Interior designer Kelly Hoppen is suing the News of the World for breach of privacy over alleged phone hacking, involving her actress stepdaughter Sienna Miller

The News of the World has denied a new allegation that illegal mobile phone hacking may have been going on as recently as last year and claim the BBC did not give the paper the right to respond to this recent allegation.

The BBC claim the new report is based on court documents relating to interior designer Kelly Hoppen, who is suing the News of the World over an alleged privacy breach involving her stepdaughter Sienna Miller.

In a statement, the Sunday tabloid said it was ‘disappointed’ that the BBC led its morning bulletins with the fresh allegations, without giving the paper an opportunity to comment on developments implucation the reporter, Dan Evans, in April 2010.

A statement from theNews of the World said: ‘We have carried out an extensive investigation led by a team of independent forensic specialists and we have found no evidence whatsoever to support this allegation.

‘The civil litigation is ongoing, as is the internal investigation, and until both are concluded it would be inappropriate to comment further.' In continued: ‘We are disappointed the BBC chose to lead with this misleading report without giving the News of the World an opportunity to respond.’

The new developments place further suspicion over the continued insistence that former royal editor, Clive Goodman, who was jailed in 2007, was a single ‘rogue’ operator in the voicemail hacking scandal.

News International announced last night that former News of the World editor Ian Edmondson has been sacked from the paper after a period of suspension on the grounds that he is linked to court documents in the Miller case.

The news comes shortly after Andy Coulson announced his resignation as head of communication in Downing Street last Friday. He said: ‘Unfortunately continued coverage of events connected to my old job at the News of the World has made it difficult for me to give the 110 per cent needed in this role.’

The News of the World has revealed it has handed over new evidence to theMet Police opening up a new investigation.

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