Police seeking Guardian's sources on hacking

[rebbonk]

[dutchman]

Met police drop Guardian demands

Scotland Yard has "decided not to pursue" its legal bid to force the Guardian to reveal the sources it used for stories about phone hacking.

A hearing was scheduled for Friday but police said it had consulted the Crown Prosecution Service and opted "at this time" not to go ahead with the hearing.

The CPS said it had asked for more information and more time.

Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger said the paper welcomed the Met's decision "to withdraw this ill-judged order."

The Met is looking into leaks by an officer from Operation Weeting - which is investigating hacking by the News of the World - to the Guardian newspaper about murdered girl Milly Dowler's phone being hacked by the tabloid.

It had applied for a production order against the Guardian and one of its reporters "in order to seek evidence of offences connected to potential breaches relating to Misconduct in Public Office and the Official Secrets Act".

But, after consulting the Crown Prosecution Service on Monday and taking further legal advice on Tuesday, the force says it has decided not to proceed.