Eight former top Murdoch hacks at News International including Andy Coulson and Rebekah Brooks are to be charged with criminal offences related to phone hacking over a six year period. Brooks faces charges which include the accessing of murdered teenager Milly Dowler's phone messages.
The Crime Prosecution Service say the charges relate to hacking the phones of 600 people. The police believe nearly 5,000 in total are potential victims. Following the 2007 conviction of News of the World journalist for phone hacking the royal household, News International insisted the practice was limited to one rogue reporter.
We have been following the story over the last year: