Phone-Hacking Trial: David Blunkett special adviser Huw Evans is cross-examined by Andy Coulson's defence
Yesterday afternoon the trial of Rebekah Brooks, Andy Coulson and six others opened with the cross-examination of Huw Evans, a special adviser to then home secretary David Blunkett.
David Blunkett
In his testimony in chief, Evans had noted that he had been surprised by how confident then News of the World editor Andy Coulson had been in a story he was running that Blunkett was having an affair. Mr Langdale, Coulson’s barrister, put it to Evans that his, and Blunkett’s own actions, had in themselves “stood the story up” as their non-denial of the story and the offer of a meeting with Blunkett at his Sheffield home would show any experienced journalist the story was true.
“What on earth was the point asking him to Sheffield,” said Langdale, adding he “could do it on the telephone". He continued: “If you want to kill a story surely you simply say 'run it you like, goodbye'.
Langdale then asked Evans if he was aware the relationship between Blunkett and Kimberley Quinn was coming to an end. The witness replied that he “had an inkling, but didn't know for sure”, however as Quinn had refused to go on holiday with Blunkett he knew it was “not in great shape.”
Langdale continued to press the point that by “engaging with the editor of the News of the World you were in effect standing the story up". Evans continued to disagree, and at one point Mr Justice Saunders stepped in saying to Langdale: “We’ve covered that, he’s given his answer”. The judge asked the QC to move on.
There was then a discussion about whether the story itself was in the public interest, with Langdale asking Evans if he was saying “The Home Secretary having an affair with a married woman is not a story?”, to which Evans replied: “I saw no public interest”. Justice Saunders then stepped in again telling the court that while “the public interest means many different things, luckily it has nothing to do with the charges of intercepting voicemails which the jury are considering”.
Langdale then read a passage from the News of the World story to Evans which stated Blunkett was “in turmoil but it hasn’t affected his work, friends hope he finds happiness - he certainly deserves to.” Asked "did that come from you?", Evans replied that he did not believe it did.
The witness then left the stand.
The court then moved on to the alleged phone hacking involving John Leslie, a television presenter, and his former girlfriend Abi Titmus, which we will cover in our next report.
The trial continues.