Follow the evidence, David Cameron tells phone hacking prosecutors

David Cameron today called on prosecutors reviewing phone hacking claims to follow the evidence "where ever it leads".

The Prime Minister told MPs: "Let us be absolutely clear, phone hacking is wrong, phone hacking is illegal."

He was challenged by Labour MP Tom Watson at Prime Minister's Questions to bring in another police force to investigate phone hacking by the News of the World. The Met has come under fire over its handling of the scandal and the Crown Prosecution Service is carrying out a review of evidence.

At PMQs Mr Watson pressed the Prime Minister on the issue, saying: "The former investigating officer is now on the payroll of News International. Three senior editors are now identified with phone hacking. Isn't it time that another police force took over the inquiry?"

But Mr Cameron defended Scotland Yard, which is under pressure to reopen its investigation following the departure of Downing Street communications chief Andy Coulson, a former editor of the News of the World.

"I don't think it is necessarily fair to say the police have not been active -after all there have been prosecutions, convictions and indeed imprisonments," Mr Cameron said.

"It's quite right that the Director of Public Prosecutions is reviewing all the evidence and they should follow the evidence where ever it leads."

Mr Coulson quit as editor of the News of the World in 2007 after its royal reporter Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire were convicted of phone hacking. They were jailed for four months and six months respectively. Mr Coulson has denied knowing about the practice.

Comedian Steve Coogan won the backing of a High Court judge today to get police to hand over documents that could prove he was the victim of phone hacking. Coogan asked Mr Justice Roth to order the Met Police to hand over documents they had seized during their investigation into the phone hacking of a number of celebrities.

The police did not object but wanted the judge to make the order. As he did so he said: "Mr Coogan has strong grounds for suspicion that he was the victim of phone hacking, but these documents are vital to establish the likelihood of these allegations."

Coogan is seeking damages from the News of the World and Mulcaire over claims that his messages were illegally hacked into. Former footballer Gordon Taylor and publicist Max Clifford have allegedly settled similar claims for sums of between £700,000 and £1 million.