'News of the World' Whistleblower Found Dead

A former News of the World reporter who publicly connected phone-hacking claims with his staff has reportedly been found dead.

Sean Hoare was the first NOTW journalist who revealed last year to The New York Times that his former editor, Andy Coulson, had encouraged him to hack into private voicemails, the Guardian reported.

Coulson recently served as Prime Minister David Cameron's communications chief and was arrested as part of the widening investigation into phone hacking and police corruption.

Hoare was found dead on Monday in Watford, northwest of London. Police said the death was being treated as unexplained but was not considered suspicious, according to Britain's' Press Association, the Associated Press reported.

Hoare told the Guardian's Nick Davies that he wanted to right a wrong and lift the lid on a whole new culture. I know, we all know, that the hacking and other stuff is endemic. Because there is so much intimidation. In the newsroom, you have people being fired, breaking down in tears, hitting the bottle, he said

According to Davies Hoare was a victim himself of the News of the World. He told the Guardian that as a show business reporter he was paid to go out and take drugs with rock stars including cocaine and pills. It was so competitive. You are going to go beyond the call of duty. You are going to do things that no sane man would do. You're in a machine, he said.

Britain's tabloid hacking scandal has today lead to the rapid resignation of London police forces with the stepping down of Assistant Commissioner of Scotland Yard's top anti-terrorism officer, John Yates, which followed the resignation of police chief Paul Stephenson on Sunday.