Murdoch UK papers' scrutiny could last three more years

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - Rupert Murdoch's British newspaper business could face scrutiny for three more years after the officer heading a police inquiry into phone-hacking and illegal payments to public officials said she expected it to last that long.

The police investigation into criminal activities at Murdoch's News International unit has already forced him to close the News of the World tabloid and end a deal to acquire the whole of the pay-TV group BSkyB, which would have been the biggest deal in News Corp's history.

Speaking at a parliamentary committee on Tuesday, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Sue Akers said London's police force had budgeted for three more years of inquiries into the illegal activities of British journalists.

Those investigations have broadened from an initial focus into allegations that News of the World reporters hacked into voicemail messages left on the mobile phones of celebrities, politicians and crime victims and now includes probes into corrupt payments to officials and computer hacking.

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/09/04/uk-newscorp-hacking-idUKBRE8830XJ20120904