Boris deputy admits asking police to limit hacking probe

Boris Johnson’s deputy mayor today admitted putting repeated pressure on senior police officers to limit the phone hacking investigation.

Kit Malthouse told the Leveson inquiry that he was “keen to ensure they weren’t overplaying” Operations Weeting and Elveden because he felt they were “a large drain on resources”.

The deputy mayor for crime and policing revealed the inquiries into alleged criminality at the Murdoch media empire would cost £40 million — more than the money spent on probing paedophiles and child abuse.

Mr Malthouse told the judicial investigation into the press and police: “Yes, I did express concern (about resources) although the impression this was a concerted effort is putting it a bit strongly.”

He appeared at the Leveson inquiry to rebut claims of political interference made by former Scotland Yard chief Sir Paul Stephenson and current Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick.

At the time, Mr Malthouse said the Met was “struggling” with a backlog of 400 rape cases. He said Operation Weeting was a “large drain of resources and I was keen to ensure they were not undertaking this investigation to the detriment of rape victims”.

Sir Paul, who quit following the hacking scandal, emphasised the political pressure he was under when he gave evidence at the inquiry. “On several occasions ... Kit Malthouse expressed a view that we should not be devoting this level of resources to the phone-hacking inquiry,” he said.