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Phone-hacking trial: No 'cunning plan' to conceal evidence, final speech concludes

By James Doleman

June 3, 2014 | 6 min read

    Mark Hanna

  • Last defence speech of trial
  • Charlie Brooks not the "Moriarty of the Chipping Norton set", says barrister
  • Mark Hanna not one of the "great and good, only saw Tony Blair on the telly"
  • Proceedings resumed this afternoon to hear the final closing speech for the defence as William Clegg QC rose on behalf of the last defendant on the indictment, News of World director of security Mark Hanna. Hanna is charged with one count of conspiracy to pervert the course of just as he, the prosecution allege, assisted Charlie Brooks to conceal evidence from police investigating phone hacking at the now defunct News of the World.

    Clegg told the court that Hanna "did not mix with the great and the good", adding "the only time he saw Tony Blair was on the telly", but deserved as much consideration as those "on the more glamorous end of the indictment". The barrister noted that his client's title, "director", did not mean he was a senior employee. "It was just a fancy title," the jury were told, and while others "dined in style he was patrolling for trespassers".

    The QC asked the jury to consider that the case against Hanna hinges on the assertion that he was told by Charlie Brooks about the conspiracy to conceal information to protect his wife Rebekah. "He has to know and agree with Charlie Brooks to join in this scheme. Would Brooks have told the hired hand he was about to commit a criminal offence? What a risk, did they trust him enough to tell him they were about to pervert the course of justice?"

    Clegg then asked what was "in it" for Hanna; he noted there was no payment involved and any potential motive had "eluded even the active imagination of Mr Edis". The barrister asked the jury to use their "common sense". The idea, he went on, that Charlie Brooks was the "Moriarty of the Chipping Norton set" made no sense and if he was why would he wait to conceal evidence until the day the police were due to search his home rather than just "throw it in the council tip" as soon as he thought his wife might be arrested. "The evidence does not quite stack up, it's not what they thought it was," he said. The barrister invited the jury to conclude that it was "disgraceful" that the defence had to rebut the evidence of cell site expert Mr Cutts.

    Defence counsel told the jury that the case against his client could only be proved if the prosecution could have proved Hanna had visited the Brooks' Oxfordshire home on the 17 July 2011, "which they had not done".

    Court then took a short break.

    When the jury returned the QC asked them to consider that if Hanna's actions were all part of a "cunning plan" why did he have to arrange insurance to drive Charlie Brooks' car, adding "this must be the first time a Clio has been used as a getaway plan". The barrister also asked the court to note that Hanna had arranged to be on holiday on the weekend in question. "If Jane Viner hadn't cancelled Mark Hanna's holiday he wouldn't be here today," Clegg said. "How does that fit in with this cunning plan?" he asked.

    The barrister told the jury that his position was that the property found at the Chelsea harbour flat contained no material relevant to the police investigation. Clegg also argued that fingerprint evidence showed that Hanna had not even touched one of the bags. The QC asked the jury to consider that if his client was hiding evidence why would he take it to the offices of News International where police were "in and out like a yo-yo," adding "hardly the act of a guilty man".

    Clegg advised the jury that it was "easy to make an allegation" but "one might have hope that before making it the police might have been told to make a simple inquiry" asking the court "don't the police get off their backsides to investigate, they make it all sound so guilty so suspicious." The barrister reminded the jury again that all sides agreed none of the material found by the cleaner in the car park was incriminating in any way so Hanna was not committing any offence by helping to locate it.

    The defence barrister advised the jury to look at Hanna's first defence statement. "His case has remained the same throughout, unlike the case against him." He agreed that his client had not answered police questions but that this was on legal advice from a "ritzy lawyer" provided by News International.

    Clegg ended by summarising his speech as a 12 point list he gave to the jury. "If what Mark Hanna did was to help Charlie Brooks hide the property from Chelsea, he must be found not guilty," the barrister said, adding: " He is, we submit, a man who has been caught up in this huge and sensational case which has nothing to do with him." He described Hanna as "hard working, conscientious, fair, honest and trustworthy" and noted he had "commendations from the police".

    Court then rose for the day with only the judge's summing up to go before the jury retires to reach its verdict.

    All of the defendants deny all of the charges.

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