Andy Coulson Rebekah Brooks Phone-Hacking Trial

Phone-hacking trial: The verdict – Andy Coulson guilty while Rebekah Brooks and co walk free

By James Doleman

June 24, 2014 | 2 min read

Court 12 at London's Old Bailey today resumed to hear the jury deliver a verdict on the charges they had reached a unanimous verdict on.

Former News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks was acquitted on all counts as was her husband Charlie Brooks.

Former PA Cheryl Carter and News International security director Mark Hanna were also found not guilty of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

The jury did however return one guilty verdict, against former government director of communications Andy Coulson, who they decided was guilty of conspiring with others to illegally intercept voicemail communications between 2002 and 2006 while he was editor of the News of the World.

Coulson, along with the paper's Royal editor Clive Goodman, still faces charges relating to the alleged purchase of Royal telephone directories from police officers. The presiding judge, Mr Justice Saunders, told the jury he would accept a majority verdict on these charges and sent them back to their room to further consider these.

After the verdic,t Rebekah and Charlie Brooks left the court through a scrum of reporters, refusing to make any comment.

As the trial is still ongoing, contempt of court rules still apply but as soon as the final charges are dealt with, The Drum will be provide full analysis of the outcome.

Andy Coulson Rebekah Brooks Phone-Hacking Trial

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