Phone-hacking trial: Court hears of Kerry Katona hacking

Pawlby was then shown two articles from the News of the World from June 19 2005. The subject of the first, 'Kelly’s Heroes', was an anti-bullying campaign being run by the paper. The article makes reference to the policy of Charles Clarke against bullying when he was education secretary and Pople put it to the witness that this was the sort of issue the paper might have contacted her about being Clarke’s special adviser. Pawlby replied that did happen but “not very often".

The jury were then shown another story from that issue of the News of the World, quoting claims that Ronnie Biggs, 'the great train robber', was to be released from prison on compassionate grounds. The article quotes a "home office source” dismissing the story. Asked if she was the source, the witness said no. She was then asked about a voicemail message left by Ian Kirby, a News of the World journalist, on the same day. Pawlby said she had never heard this, possibly as it had been listened to by Glen Mulcaire and therefore was in her saved message files and not marked as a new message.

Pople then asked the witness when she had first heard about the rumours of an illicit relationship between her and Charles Clarke, replying that it was around 2004. She confirmed Andy Coulson had never asked her about the rumours, or to the best of her knowledge had he asked Mr Clarke. Pople then thanked the witness and sat down.

Andrew Edis, QC for the Crown, then re-examined the witness. She confirmed that before the trial commenced she had met solicitors working for Coulson and that they had shown her the two News of the World articles mentioned above. Pawlby also told the court that at a later date police officers had also shown her the same newspaper pieces. Mr Edis then thanked the witness and she was allowed to leave the stand.

With the departure of the two witnesses for today, the court returned to the bundles of documents called 'timelines' and the lists of voicemails and the times and dates of various hacks carried out on Pawlby and various people associated with her. A News of the World “schedule” for 19 June 2005 was also put into evidence by the defence. It contained proposed stories on “bullying” and “bid for freedom; Ronnie Biggs”.

The prosecution then moved on to a new timeline, that of Kerry Katona. who the prosecution said was known for being in the pop group Atomic Kitten. Recordings found by police in Glenn Mulcaire’s home have been identified as being messages left for Katona.

Katona was also well known, according to the prosecution, for being married to Brian McFadden from another pop group, Westlife. The court was then shown stories from the News of the World from June 2005 which covered, in lurid detail, Katona’s “cocaine addiction”. These stories were cross-referenced with voicemail interceptions carried out by Mulcaire and communications between him and News of the World journalists Ian Edmondson and Greg Miskiw. None of the defence barristers present objected or challenged any of the evidence. Other articles quoted include “Kerry Steals Best Friends Lover” and “Kerry is Pure Trash, Exclusive.” Mulcaire also, according to the prosecution, even hacked Katona’s phone on Christmas day.

At the conclusion of the Katona timeline Judge Saunders thanked the jury for their attendance and reminded them they would not be required until Monday as Friday has been set aside for legal arguments relating to the case. Our coverage will resume then.

The trial continues.