Police Assistant Commissioner John Yates has RESIGNED

[Chimichurri]

John Yates, the police officer who refused to reopen the News of the World phone hacking inquiry in 2009, has resigned.

It came just hours after his boss, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson, quit last night and became perhaps the most high-profile scalp of the scandal.

The announcement came despite Yates claiming this morning that he has done "nothing wrong". It is understood he decided to resign after being told he would be suspended by the force.

Yates, the Assistant commissioner of the Met, had been under pressure since he was described as "unconvincing" after appearing before MPs on the home affairs select committee last week.

During his appearance, he said he "regretted" the decision not to reopen the police inquiry two years ago, but argued claims he should resign were "probably unfair".

This morning, he was requested to appear before the committee again tomorrow along with Sir Paul.


http://www.scotsman.com/news/Hacking-updates-John-Yates-resigns.6803432.jp