The British police officer who ruled two years ago that there was no reason to pursue an investigation into phone hacking by journalists resigned Monday, the second top Metropolitan Police officer to quit in less than 24 hours.

Assistant Commissioner John Yates - who has since called his decision "crap" - was due to be suspended when he quit, the Metropolitan Police Authority said.

The resignation came the day after Britain's top police officer, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Paul Stephenson, resigned in light of close links between the police and journalists they were supposed to be investigating.