Leveson: Phone hacking inquiry could be cut short

Lord Justice Leveson has indicated he may cut short his inquiry one week after its explosive findings hit Westminster.

The judge said the second part of his investigation into the press, police and politicians, which was due to examine in detail the extent of crimes committed at News International, may not go ahead.

In a ruling published quietly on the inquiry's website last night, the 62-year-old said that module “will involve yet more enormous cost” to the public and would be required to “trawl over material then more years out of date”.

His finding comes just days after the inquiry disclosed bombshell emails from the Murdoch media empire that continue to threaten the position of Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

Part One of his judicial probe, which has been limited due to the ongoing Scotland Yard investigations, will conclude in July. In his agreement with the Prime Minister, Lord Justice Leveson was due to begin Part Two after any future prosecutions.

However, in his ruling - published without fanfare yesterday as the damning select committee into News Corp dominated the news - said: “I do not know whether there will be prosecutions but, having regard to the number of arrests and the quantity of material seized…if there are, it is likely that the process…will be delayed for very many months if not longer.

“That inquiry will involve yet more enormous cost (both to the public purse and the participants); it will trawl over material then more years out of date and is likely to take longer than the present Inquiry.”

Last week, the inquiry released emails between News Corp’s chief lobbyist and the office of Jeremy Hunt, which apparently showed a secret back channel between the minister and the media giant as it was poised to rubber-stamp a controversial £8 billion deal for BSkyB.

The disclosure continues to threaten the position of Jeremy Hunt, who was supposed to be acting in an independent, quasi-judicial role, and has heaped pressure on Prime Minister David Cameron.

Lord Justice Leveson’s finding has disappointed Ian Hurst, a former British Army intelligence officer, whose computer was allegedly hacked by the News of the World. In March, Lord Justice Leveson rejected evidence provided by the former spy which claimed to have uncovered “intelligence of police corruption, including that at the very highest level”.