The Crown Prosecution Service is considering bringing corporate charges against Rupert Murdoch's newspaper group over phone-hacking at the News of the World, it has emerged.

Scotland Yard has passed a dossier of evidence on News International – now called News UK – to the CPS.

If the CPS believes there is enough evidence to secure a conviction it will bring charges against the newspaper group.

Mogul: The Crown Prosecution Service is considering bringing corporate charges against Rupert Murdoch's newspaper group over phone-hacking at the News of the World, it has emerged

A CPS spokesman said: 'We have received a full file of evidence for consideration of corporate liability charges relating to the Operation Weeting phone-hacking investigation.

'On 23 July following an investigation into phone-hacking at the News of the World, detectives from Op Weeting submitted a file to the CPS for their consideration.'

The most likely case against News UK would see the company considered as one suspect at a criminal trial.

In this case, no individuals from the publisher would have to sit in the dock and a guilty verdict would lead to a financial penalty would be imposed.

Rebekah Brooks is reportedly poised to return to News UK as chief executive

Media lawyer Paul Gilbert said the CPS could consider bringing corporate charges against members of the board at News UK, but such cases were 'notoriously hard to prove'.

However, he said individual prosecutions appeared unlikely, particularly as former chief executive Rebekah Brooks was cleared of phone-hacking charges last year.

He said: 'In a corporate investigation the CPS will look at the actions of the board to see what they knew and whether they turned a blind eye to phone-hacking.'

The police inquiry into phone-hacking at the News of the World was reopened in 2011 after the practice was found to be more widespread than first thought.

It led to the closure of the paper and convictions or guilty pleas of eight journalists, including David Cameron's former spin doctor Andy Coulson.

Investigations into alleged wrong-doing by journalists have cost the Met about £40million so far.

Last night one report claimed that Mrs Brooks was poised to return to News UK as chief executive. News UK declined to comment.

Mark Lewis, a partner in Seddons law film, who represented many of the phone-hacking victims in the civil courts, said: 'It does not surprise me that a file has been sent, just that it has taken so long.