Friday, Jul. 29, 2011
James Weatherup
Former Assistant News Editor, News of the World
Appointed by Andy Coulson, Weatherup served as assistant news editor at News of the World from 2004 until 2006, the period during which phone hacking is known to have taken place. In 2006 he returned to a senior reporting position, and was replaced on the news desk by his friend Ian Edmondson. Colleagues later described the two as extremely close and "thick as thieves." On April 14, nine days after authorities detained and questioned Edmonson and Neville Thurlbeck, police arrested 55-year old Weatherup. His most recent front-page story, published last September, described secretly filmed footage of former world boxing champion Ricky Hatton snorting cocaine.