James Murdoch closes News Of The World amid phone hacking scandal

This Sunday’s edition of the News Of The World is to be the last, James Murdoch announced today.

The News International chairman made the decision following a string of allegations that its journalists hacked the phones of crime victims and celebrities.

One of the most serious allegations implicates the NOTW in the hiring of a private detective who hacked into the voice messages of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler.

Murdoch said the final edition of the 168-year-old newspaper would not run any commercial adverts and that all advertising space would instead be given over to charities.

Revenue from sales of the final edition will also be donated to good causes.

In a statement to staff, Murdoch said that the good things the newspaper did had been “sullied by behaviour that was wrong”.

“Indeed, if recent allegations are true, it was inhuman and has no place in our company," he said.

He added: “Wrongdoers turned a good newsroom bad and this was not fully understood or adequately pursued.”

Former NOTW editor and News International’s current chief executive Rebekah Brooks remains in her job despite repeated calls for her to go.

She was in the NOTW building when the announcement came of the paper’s closure and was said to have been in tears.

Sky News reports that much of the anger felt among staff is being directed at Mrs Brooks.

The Guardian reports that Andy Coulson, also a former editor of NOTW and David Cameron’s former director of communications, is to be arrested on Friday morning over suspicions that he knew about the phone hacking when he was editor at the paper.

In his statement, Murdoch added that the company was fully cooperating with ongoing police investigations into the hacking allegations.

NOTW’s editor since 2007, Colin Myler, expressed his sorrow and anger over the decision to fold the paper.

He said in a statement that it was the “saddest day of my professional career”.

“For 168 years the News Of The World has been a huge part of many people’s lives,” he said.

“Whatever price this staff are paying for past misdeeds, nothing should diminish everything this great newspaper has achieved.”