The High Court yesterday heard that evidence relating to Lord John Prescott’s claim of phone hacking by the News of the World helped to trigger the new police investigation into phone hacking, the Independent reports today.

This followed news yesterday that Lord Prescott and three other individuals, including Labour MP Chris Bryant, who also allege that the News of the World hacked their phones, have again applied to the High Court for a judicial review into the police inquiry of the matter.

Lord Prescott, Mr Bryant, ex-Met deputy assistant commissioner Brian Paddick and journalist Brendan Montague want to take judicial proceedings against the Metropolitan Police Commissioner.

Their previous application was rejected in February, the BBC reports.