Phone-hacking trial: Rebekah Brooks' statements read out in court
Court resumed after lunch with a discussion of legal matters, the jury not taking their seats until 2.15pm. Mr Saunders told the jury that there would be no further live evidence today and the prosecution called detective sergeant Guest to the stand to finish off his testimony on the "Royal voicemail folder", which contains emails and transcripts of hacked voicemails, articles from the News of the World and payment records.
Trial: Rebekah Brooks faces a number of charges
The prosecution then moved on to the reading of prepared statements and admissions. The first of noted that when Rebekah Brooks was arrested and charged for the first time her only "I deny the charges. She did however" but gave police a prepared statement at the end of the interview.
The same agreed admissions were gone through with Andy Coulson, again listing when he was arrested and charged. Coulson made no comment when first charged but later told police "I deny the charges". Stuart Kuttner was also arrested but, unlike Brooks or Coulson, he answered all questions put to him by the police. Clive Goodman answered "no comment" when questioned after his arrest but also gave the police a prepared statement.
The court was then read the prepared statement Rebekah Brooks had given the police on her arrest. It said that she has listened carefully to the allegations made to her and stated that she had been the subject of "hysterical publicity by my competitors." Se noted thar her laptop and phone had been seized by police. Brooks added that she suddenly had been forced to find a new legal representative as the police had launched a criminal investigation into her solicitor.
Brooks's said that as she was editor she was responsible for the content of the News of the World but "did not ask detailed questions" on sources as this was a job for the news editor and the company lawyer and that she would have expected her staff to tell her if "stories or pictures were a product of illegal activities". Brooks stated that if she had known that articles were obtained in that way they would not have been allowed in her paper.
Brooks was "appalled" by the Milly Dowler voicemail interception but had never met or spoke to convicted phone hacker Glenn Mulcaire. The statement noted that Brooks was on holiday in Dubai when the Milly Dowler voicemail piece was published. Brooks went on to say it was "well known" that voicemails could be hacked if the PIN code was left at the factory setting and she had changed her own PIN for that very reason.
Brooks stated that she herself was a "victim of phone-hacking" which she found of great concern and if she had known about phone-hacking at the News of the World she would have "put a stop to it". The statement then noted that police had asked about the contents of her office safe. Brooks said that that safe was considered the "safest place in the building" and that senior colleagues often placed items in there without her knowledge.
The court was then read a statement from Andy Coulson from the time of his arrest. It noted that he had attended the police station voluntarily and expressed his disappointment that he had been arrested. Coulson said that "all kinds of allegations have been made against me" and he had "not had time to consider material put to me". Coulson stated he had been advised not to answer questions and would make no further comment.
The jury was then read a statement made by Clive Goodman on his arrest. Goodman said paperwork often came across his desk and he was not usually aware of the original source. Cash payments were, to his knowledge, never made to anyone acting in an official capacity. £4,000 found on him when arrested belonged to his "martial arts trainer".
The next two statements were made by Rebekah Brooks at two further police interviews.
The first read in part. "You have alleged that during my period of editing the Sun newspaper I made payments to members of the armed services. I became editor of the Sun just before Britain went to war with Iraq and we became the paper of the armed forces. We backed the armed forces, supported Help for Heroes, campaigned against lack of kit and against bullying in the army. During a trip to Afghanistan I was pleased to see the prominence of a poster with the Sun logo. We were also in a continuing dialogue with members of the armed forces."
Brooks then discussed a journalist who we cannot name for legal reasons. Brooks said she always trusted the reporter and added: "I've been shown emails, some of which I responded to. I sent and received literally millions of emails while being a national newspaper editor and it would be impossible to read every one. In all of the emails, he [the journalist] does not name his source which is standard industry practice, I have never heard the name Bettina Jordan-Barber and I am certain I never heard her name while editor of the Sun.
"There are a myriad of possibilities on who his source or sources could have been, military journalists, civilian staff, ex members of the military or spouses. During my career I published 100,000 stories per year and received double those for consideration. It would be impossible to have read every story, information comes from a plethora of avenues.... I categorically deny the allegation you have put to me that I was involved in a conspiracy. I will make no further comment."
At her next police interview Brooks second perpared statement was given to police, it said in part, "I have never knowingly authorised a corrupt payment to a police officer or ever sanctioned corrupt payments to police officers. I cannot recall if I was editing the Sun in March 2006 and as the story was on page 33 it's unlikely I would have noticed it and even if I had read it there is nothing in it to show it came from a serving police officer."
Brooks went on to discuss an email sent to her, she said she had "no recollection of receiving email". On the Prince William photograph, Brooks said she did not recall a of a photo of "Prince William in a swimsuit". Onthe fact that she had replied to the email the defendant said, "I would need to review my records to make more detailed and informed comment. My one word reply to the email was clearly done in haste around 5pm, the busiest time of the day." Brooks also noted that her desk diary showed that Rupert Murdoch was in the office that day so she would have had other "significant responsibilities."
That completed the statements.
Mr Justice Saunders then addressed the jury. He told them need not return until 2pm on on Monday 6 January and warned them not to discuss the case with anyone during the holiday. He told them the trial was running two weeks behind time but he hoped to catch up. Saunders then said if "you are feeling like getting ill this winter the next two weeks would be a good time". The judge concluded by praising the members of the jury, telling them: "You've been incredibly tolerant, thank you very much."
The court then adjourned.
All of the defendants deny all of the charges, the trial continues.
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