The hacking trial jury has been discharged after failing to reach verdicts on two charges against former No 10 spin doctor Andy Coulson of conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office by paying police officers for two royal directories.
The Metropolitan Police has "done our best to follow the evidence without fear or favour" in the phone hacking investigation, assistant commissioner Cressida Dick has said.
She said in a press conference, "We were acutely conscious of the sensitivities of investigating a newspaper and people employed by a newspaper, and inevitably dealing with confidential journalistic material.
"This investigation has never been about an attack on press freedom ... we were determined to make sure that justice was done."
David Cameron has been criticised by the phone hacking trial judge for discussing Andy Coulson while the jury was still considering charges.
As the phone hacking trial jury is discharged, here are some surprising facts about the eight-month case.