Scotland Yard investigating 300 million emails over phone-hacking scandal

Scotland Yard’s phone hacking squad is reportedly wading through around 300 million internal emails from News International, which published the now defunct News of the World.

According to the Daily Express, officers have also spoken to around 600 potential victims since the operation was launched in January.

The huge scale of the inquiry emerged as Met Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe said that it would get more resources when necessary.

Hogan-Howe also conceded that the volume of emails was “shocking”, but insisted the Yard would conduct a “proper and thorough” inquiry.

A total of 16 people have been arrested in connection with Operation Weeting and a sister inquiry codenamed Elvedon into allegations that the News of the World paid police officers for information.