The teen-ager was charged with unlawful interception of electronic communication, a felony, but because of his age he pleaded guilty to an act of juvenile delinquency.

Bureau documents written the next week said Carnivore had a tendency to cause "improper capture of data" that "not only can violate a citizen's privacy, but also can seriously 'contaminate' ongoing investigations" through unlawful interceptions.

On 24 July, it was announced that Thurlbeck would be charged with conspiring to intercept communications and the unlawful interception of voicemail messages.

Miskiw was arrested on 10 August 2011 as part of Operation Weeting on suspicion of unlawful interception of communications.

Eight days later, Greg Miskiw, a former News of the World news editor, was arrested on suspicion of unlawful interception of communications and conspiring to intercept communications.

The reporter was criminally prosecuted: he pleaded guilty to felony charges of unlawful interception and communications and unauthorized access to voice-mail systems and was sentenced to five years of probation and community service.

It gives the sender or recipient of a communication the right of action for damages against the employer for the unlawful interception of communications.

Not sure if that comes under unlawful interception.

Meanwhile, it has yet to be shown that this incursion on free speech would advance the government's interest in deterring unlawful interceptions.

News Corp said it should be inferred that Nixson "was aware of, and had given his approval for, journalists on the News of the World to engage in unlawful interception of voicemail messages and/or blagging."