All eyes on Rebekah Brooks as she defends her actions
18 Feb 2014 5:40 AM IST
Brooks, who was so close to the media mogul she was dubbed his fifth daughter, will testify for the first time in the long-running trial after the prosecution formally wraps up its case against her, her husband and five other former Murdoch employees.
The case centres on widespread phone-hacking by journalists at the News of the World Sunday tabloid, which Murdoch closed amid huge public anger in July 2011, and other allegations of crimes by staff on its sister daily paper The Sun.
Brooks, who ran News Corp.’s British newspaper arm News International until July 2011 and had previously edited both papers, denies conspiracy to illegally intercept voicemail messages on mobile phones, conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office by authorising illegal payments to public officials, and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
During testimony over 14 weeks, prosecutors have detailed evidence of phone-hacking and other alleged crimes by journalists working for Murdoch’s British titles.
The jury has heard that three senior journalists who held news editor roles at the tabloid had admitted phone-hacking offences, while a private detective Glenn Mulcaire who worked for the paper had pleaded guilty to carrying out hacks.
Victims included the wife of future heir-to-the-throne Prince William, Kate Middleton, and his younger brother Harry. Brooks is also said to have approved an illegal payment for a picture of William wearing a bikini to a party.
Those to have taken the stand so far include actor Jude Law and his former girlfriend actress Sienna Miller.
But the most startling disclosure was that Brooks had had an affair with Andy Coulson, another former News of the World editor who went on to work as Prime Minister David Cameron’s media chief until 2011 and who is also on trial. The prosecution’s phone-hacking case against Brooks revolves around the tapping of the mobile of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler.
The case centres on widespread phone-hacking by journalists at the News of the World Sunday tabloid, which Murdoch closed amid huge public anger in July 2011, and other allegations of crimes by staff on its sister daily paper The Sun.
Brooks, who ran News Corp.’s British newspaper arm News International until July 2011 and had previously edited both papers, denies conspiracy to illegally intercept voicemail messages on mobile phones, conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office by authorising illegal payments to public officials, and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
During testimony over 14 weeks, prosecutors have detailed evidence of phone-hacking and other alleged crimes by journalists working for Murdoch’s British titles.
The jury has heard that three senior journalists who held news editor roles at the tabloid had admitted phone-hacking offences, while a private detective Glenn Mulcaire who worked for the paper had pleaded guilty to carrying out hacks.
Victims included the wife of future heir-to-the-throne Prince William, Kate Middleton, and his younger brother Harry. Brooks is also said to have approved an illegal payment for a picture of William wearing a bikini to a party.
Those to have taken the stand so far include actor Jude Law and his former girlfriend actress Sienna Miller.
But the most startling disclosure was that Brooks had had an affair with Andy Coulson, another former News of the World editor who went on to work as Prime Minister David Cameron’s media chief until 2011 and who is also on trial. The prosecution’s phone-hacking case against Brooks revolves around the tapping of the mobile of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler.
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