By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 04:18 EST, 9 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:32 EST, 9 July 2012 . Decision: Britain's Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer, pictured, says the 14 NotW staff will find out if they face charges within weeks . More than a dozen former News of the World journalists will find out by the end of this month if they face phone hacking charges, it was revealed today. Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer says he is 'reasonably confident' the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will make a final decision on the 14 suspects within weeks. Journalists arrested and bailed include former editors Andy Coulson and Rebekah Brooks, who may have directed or allowed their staff to intercept mobile phone voicemails. Former assistant editor Ian Edmondson, chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck and managing editor Stuart Kuttner were also arrested as part of the Metropolitan Police's hacking operation, known as Weeting. Starmer told the Guardian today that alleged phone hacking cases would be dealt with as 'a batch' meaning that the fate of those allegedly involved will be dramatically announced on the same day this month. Any hacking charges would be the first brought since 2007. The News of the World's former royal editor Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire were then jailed for four months and six months respectively for intercepting messages from members of the royal family and their staff. Prosecutors are currently using a 'broad interpretation' of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa), Starmer said, which will allow journalists to be charged with hacking even if the person had listened to the voicemail first. Probe: Former NotW staff arrested under Operation Weeting, pictured clockwise, include Rebekah Brooks, Andy Coulson, former assistant editor Ian Edmondson, and former Managing Editor Stuart Kuttner . Former Met assistant commissioner John Yates had said previously it was not clear if someone could be prosecuted if a message had already been played back. Starmer also told the Guardian that alternative charges would also be considered 'in so far as it was necessary,' including conspiring to intercept communications and computer hacking. He added that the 'public interest' test was being applied to every case. If the person allegedly being hacked had acted with 'serious hypocrisy', like having an affair for example, this will also be considered, he said. Former News of the World editor Mrs Brooks, her husband Charlie Brooks, and four others have already been charged by the CPS with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Arrests: Around 14 former NotW staff have been bailed by the Met . Brooks edited the News of the World and the Sun before becoming chief executive of parent company News International in 2009. Public furore erupted in July last year after it was reported that a private detective working for the News of the World, when Brooks was the editor, had hacked the mobile phone of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler. The News International boss quit her post on July 15 2011. Two days later Scotland Yard detectives arrested her. Mrs Brooks faces three charges of conspiring to pervert the course of justice, the maximum sentence for which is life imprisonment. She is accused of removing boxes of material from the News International archive and allegedly trying to conceal documents, computers and other items from Operation Weeting, Scotland Yard’s inquiry into phone hacking. A further 33 people have been arrested under Operation Elveden, the Metropolitan Police investigation into alleged corrupt payments to public officials. The investigation is being run alongside Operation Weeting.
Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer says all the suspects will be dealt with in 'a batch'
14 journalists from the paper have been arrested and bailed by Weeting detectives .
These include former editors Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson .
By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 04:18 EST, 9 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:32 EST, 9 July 2012 . Decision: Britain's Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer, pictured, says the 14 NotW staff will find out if they face charges within weeks . More than a dozen former News of the World journalists will find out by the end of this month if they face phone hacking charges, it was revealed today. Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer says he is 'reasonably confident' the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will make a final decision on the 14 suspects within weeks. Journalists arrested and bailed include former editors Andy Coulson and Rebekah Brooks, who may have directed or allowed their staff to intercept mobile phone voicemails. Former assistant editor Ian Edmondson, chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck and managing editor Stuart Kuttner were also arrested as part of the Metropolitan Police's hacking operation, known as Weeting. Starmer told the Guardian today that alleged phone hacking cases would be dealt with as 'a batch' meaning that the fate of those allegedly involved will be dramatically announced on the same day this month. Any hacking charges would be the first brought since 2007. The News of the World's former royal editor Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire were then jailed for four months and six months respectively for intercepting messages from members of the royal family and their staff. Prosecutors are currently using a 'broad interpretation' of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa), Starmer said, which will allow journalists to be charged with hacking even if the person had listened to the voicemail first. Probe: Former NotW staff arrested under Operation Weeting, pictured clockwise, include Rebekah Brooks, Andy Coulson, former assistant editor Ian Edmondson, and former Managing Editor Stuart Kuttner . Former Met assistant commissioner John Yates had said previously it was not clear if someone could be prosecuted if a message had already been played back. Starmer also told the Guardian that alternative charges would also be considered 'in so far as it was necessary,' including conspiring to intercept communications and computer hacking. He added that the 'public interest' test was being applied to every case. If the person allegedly being hacked had acted with 'serious hypocrisy', like having an affair for example, this will also be considered, he said. Former News of the World editor Mrs Brooks, her husband Charlie Brooks, and four others have already been charged by the CPS with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Arrests: Around 14 former NotW staff have been bailed by the Met . Brooks edited the News of the World and the Sun before becoming chief executive of parent company News International in 2009. Public furore erupted in July last year after it was reported that a private detective working for the News of the World, when Brooks was the editor, had hacked the mobile phone of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler. The News International boss quit her post on July 15 2011. Two days later Scotland Yard detectives arrested her. Mrs Brooks faces three charges of conspiring to pervert the course of justice, the maximum sentence for which is life imprisonment. She is accused of removing boxes of material from the News International archive and allegedly trying to conceal documents, computers and other items from Operation Weeting, Scotland Yard’s inquiry into phone hacking. A further 33 people have been arrested under Operation Elveden, the Metropolitan Police investigation into alleged corrupt payments to public officials. The investigation is being run alongside Operation Weeting.
. Decision: Britain's Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer, pictured, says the 14 within weeks. Journalists arrested and bailed include former editors Andy Coulson and Rebekah alleged phone hacking cases would be dealt with staff have been bailed by the Met . Brooks edited