British prosecutors decline to reopen newspaper privacy investigation

UK prosecutors decline new privacy investigation

LONDON — British prosecutors say they won’t reopen an investigation into a phone-hacking case that saw a tabloid reporter sent to jail.

The News of the World’s royal editor and a private investigator were jailed in 2007 for hacking into the phones of employees of the royal family.

Chief prosecutor Keir Starmer ordered a review of the case last week after the Guardian newspaper alleged the practice of phone hacking was widespread at the tabloid at the time. The News of the World has denied the Guardian’s allegations.

Starmer said Thursday “it would not be appropriate to reopen the cases.” The Metropolitan Police previously declined to reopen the case.

The News of the World is owned by News International Ltd., a subsidiary of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp.