Police Attack News International For 'Leak'

Scotland Yard has accused News International of leaking details about alleged payments to corrupt police officers to divert attention from phone hacking.

It comes after a report in the London Evening Standard claimed the News Of The World (NOTW) paid corrupt officers for personal details about the Queen and other senior royals.

Scotland Yard was reportedly informed of the development last month when they were handed a fresh set of documents from News International as part of the long-running hacking probe.

The Met responded to the story with an attack on News International - owner of the NOTW - in which it said the leak demonstrated a "deliberate campaign" to "divert attention from elsewhere".

It said in a statement: "It is our belief that information that has appeared in the media today is part of a deliberate campaign to undermine the investigation into the alleged payments by corrupt journalists to corrupt police officers and divert attention from elsewhere.

"At various meetings over the last few weeks information was shared with us by News International and their legal representatives and it was agreed by all parties that this information would be kept confidential so that we could pursue various lines of inquiry, identify those responsible without alerting them and secure best evidence.

"However we are extremely concerned and disappointed that the continuous release of selected information - that is only known by a small number of people - could have a significant impact on the corruption investigation."

The latest blow to News International comes after the family of alleged phone hacking victim, murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler, called for Rebekah Brooks to quit over the scandal.

Bob and Sally Dowler are suing the NOTW following claims their daughter's mobile phone voicemails were targeted when she went missing in 2002.

They confirmed they had not received an apology from the Murdochs.

The Dowlers said the fact that messages were allegedly being deleted from the 13-year-old's phone gave them false hope that she was still alive.

Mrs Dowler and Milly's sister Gemma were among 13 victims and campaigners who met Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg earlier to call for a comprehensive inquiry to be carried out.

They said they want "stronger, clearer and faster action" from the Government over the scandal.

In a statement following the meeting, the Dowlers' lawyer Mark Lewis said the family believe Mrs Brooks, chief executive of News International (NI), "should take responsibility and do the honourable thing and resign".

He added: "They don't see why she should stay in the job. They see this as something that went right to the top."

Mrs Brooks was the editor of the newspaper in 2002 when the hacking is claimed to have taken place.

Mr Lewis said Surrey Police were aware at the time of what was happening but the Dowlers only found out in April 2011, as they prepared for Levi Bellfield's trial for the teenager's kidnap and murder.

He added Sally and Gemma Dowler believed the meeting with Mr Clegg had been "constructive" and that it was clear he had a "genuine desire for change".

But he said his clients had not received an apology from either Rupert Murdoch, News Corp chairman and chief executive, or his son James, who is the European chief executive of NI.

Speaking afterwards, Mr Clegg called on Rupert Murdoch to reconsider his bid for BSkyB.

He said: "Listening to Bob, Sally and Gemma Dowler, it reminds you that it is innocent families like them who have paid a very heavy price for truly grotesque journalistic practices, which are simply beneath contempt.

"We owe it to the Dowlers and other innocent victims of hacking to get these inquiries right, to make sure they are really strong, they can get to the bottom of what happened and make sure it never happens again."

An NI source told Sky News Rebekah Brooks has volunteered to speak to police over the wider phone hacking scandal.

The allegation that Milly's phone was among those targeted by the newspaper kicked off a wave of public outrage, which led to the paper's closure and its final issue being published on Sunday.

It has also been claimed that families of terror victims had their messages hacked.

Downing Street said talks will be held between the Media Standards Trust and Prime Minister David Cameron later this week.

The Trust, which has led a major campaign on the issue and has organised the meetings, said it was also arranging a session with Labour leader Ed Miliband.

Mr Cameron has announced that a judge-led inquiry will be held into the scandal.

It is thought the Trust, which led the Hacked Off campaign for a public inquiry, is keen to be able to address its concerns separately with the three main party leaders.

Others attending the talks with Mr Clegg included former Scotland Yard deputy assistant commissioner Brian Paddick, phone hacking victim Nicola Phillips and solicitor Mark Lewis - who represents the Dowlers and other hacking victims.

Meanwhile, the Daily Mirror has reported that NOTW investigators tried to hack into the voicemails of the British victims of 9/11.

A former New York police officer claims he was approached by journalists who said they would pay him to retrieve private phone records.