Former Assistant Commissioner in the London Metropolitan Police Service (2006-2011), Yates had resigned from office following criticism of his close relationship with journalists, in particular those from the News of the World. He gave evidence to the Inquiry two years after that resignation. Yates had been conducting a review of the 2006 Police Inquiry into the News of the World royal phone-hacking scandal. Lord Justice Leveson said it was a matter of "regret" that Yates had not handed the task to another officer but that there was no evidence he had been involved in corruption.