Star phone hacker arrested

A 34 year-old Hertfordshire man has been arrested over allegations that he hacked into the phone line of television presenter Angus Deayton. The man is thought to be a BT engineer.

A number of recording devices were found in a junction box near the north London home which Deayton shares with Lise Meyer and their 18 month-old son.

The recorders were hooked up to Deayton's phone line and were thought to have been in place since the News of the World published its 'TV Deayton's drugs romp with vice girl' story.

The as yet unidentified suspect was questioned at a north London police station and bailed to return there later this month, according to the Guardian.

The BBC reported that the Mail on Sunday, against which Deayton has obtained a High Court injunction to prevent the publishing of details of his private life, has denied employing a telephone engineer.

Deayton is the presenter of satirical quiz show Have I got News for You and, although reports that he is to be replaced by actor Stephen Fry have been quashed, it is thought that his £500,000 salary is under threat.