U.K. Police: New Info on Phone Hacking Scandal

British police say they've given prosecutors new information on a phone hacking scandal that threatens to engulf the British prime minister's top media aide.

Prime Minister David Cameron's communications director, Andy Coulson, resigned from his previous position as editor of the News of The World when it was revealed that a reporter at the tabloid illegally hacked into the cell phones of members of the royal household to sniff out stories.

Coulson denies wrongdoing, but police have been investigating recent media reports that the use of illegal methods while he was editor was far more widespread than previously established.

Prosecutors confirmed Friday they had received the file and said it would decide what to do "in due course."

The issue came to light after The Guardian reported in 2009 that the News of the World - the country's most popular Sunday paper - paid private investigators to obtain voice mail messages, private phone numbers, bank statements and other information about figures including Gwyneth Paltrow, George Michael and some of the country's most senior politicians.

It said other targets included London Mayor Boris Johnson, celebrity chef Nigella Lawson and politicians from Britain's three main parties.

The report re-ignited a long-simmering debate about the ethics of Britain's newspapers, which compete aggressively for readers and stories. An exclusive about a politician or celebrity can mean hundreds of thousands of extra copies sold for a tabloid like the News of the World, which has a circulation of about 3 million.