Rebekah Brooks to be told today if she faces charges over phone-hacking
Former News International chief executive, Rebekah Brooks, will be told this morning if she is to be among the first people to face criminal charges over the News of the World phone-hacking scandal.
The Crown Prosecution Service will announce whether Brooks will face charges over allegations of perverting the course of justice relating to the phone-hacking investigation.
The CPS will announce its decision in the cases of one journalist and six members of the public - all concerning allegations of perverting the course of justice.
According to Media Guardian, among those whose cases are under consideration by prosecutors are Brooks's husband, Charlie, a race horse trainer and friend of Prime Minister David Cameron.
Kingsley Napley, the lawyers for Rebekah Brooks, has confirmed that they expect to hear from the CPS today. The human rights and criminal litigation specialist also acts for Brooks's husband.
The decision on whether criminal charges will be brought or not has been made by Alison Levitt QC, who is the principal legal adviser to the director of public prosecutions.
Levitt is in charge of the CPS's decision-making concerning the investigations into phone hacking and other related police inquiries.
The Metropolitan Police
Media Guardian reports: “In March, detective from Operation Weeting arrested Brooks and her husband at their home in Oxfordshire on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
“The two were held at dawn with four others, including News International's head of security, Mark Hanna, and a driver Rebekah Brooks used. A sixth non-journalist, Cheryl Carter, Brooks's former PA, was arrested in January also on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
“Police said the arrests did not result from information passed to them by News Corporation's management and standards committee (MSC).
“Brooks was also previously arrested on 17 July 2011 on appointment at a police station in London
contrary to Section1(1) Criminal Law Act 1977 and on suspicion of corruption allegations contrary to Section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906.”
The former Sun and News of the World editor was held in the summer 48 hours after she resigned as News International's chief executive.
The announcement of the CPS's decision comes days after Brooks gave five hours of evidence to the Leveson Inquiry.