'Culture' of illegal payments to officials existed at The Sun, says senior Met officer Deputy Assistant Commissioner (DAC) Sue Akers, who is leading the Metropolitan Police's latest inquiries into allegations of phone hacking, email hacking and corrupt payments, said payments did not amount to an "odd drink or meal" but "frequent" and "sometimes significant" amounts. There also appears to have been a culture at The Sun of illegal payments and systems created to facilitate those payments. She suggested that journalists appeared to have been "well aware" that "what they were doing was unlawful." She told the inquiry that there was evidence of "multiple payments amounting to thousands of pounds." DAC Akers said one public official had "over a period of several years (received) amounts in excess of £80,000." She added: "One arrested journalist has over several years received over £150,000 in cash to pay his sources." Ms Akers said because of the nature of the investigation it was "easier" to identify journalists than public officials. But she said police hoped that more investigation would reveal the identities of public officials. Lord Justice Leveson asked to be kept informed of the progress of police inquiries and said he did not intend to allow his inquiry to prejudice any criminal investigations.