This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/sep/26/rebekah-brooks-andy-coulson
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson trial: the lawyers | Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson trial: the lawyers |
| (12 days later) | |
| The cream of Britain's legal establishment were gathered in court one at the Old Bailey on Wednesday for a hearing in relation to a proposed future trial of former News of the World staff. | The cream of Britain's legal establishment were gathered in court one at the Old Bailey on Wednesday for a hearing in relation to a proposed future trial of former News of the World staff. |
| But occupying the front row were some of the most outstanding stars of the bar, barristers known for high-profile clients including Harry Redknapp, Roman Polanski and MP Chris Huhne. | But occupying the front row were some of the most outstanding stars of the bar, barristers known for high-profile clients including Harry Redknapp, Roman Polanski and MP Chris Huhne. |
| Andrew Edis | Andrew Edis |
| The lead crown counsel is considered one of the country's top prosecutors. He has acted in recent high-profile cases including the trial of Shafilea Ahmed's parents who were sentenced to life for her murder this summer and a successful prosecution of a terrorist group who pleaded guilty to plotting to bomb the London Stock Exchange earlier this year. | The lead crown counsel is considered one of the country's top prosecutors. He has acted in recent high-profile cases including the trial of Shafilea Ahmed's parents who were sentenced to life for her murder this summer and a successful prosecution of a terrorist group who pleaded guilty to plotting to bomb the London Stock Exchange earlier this year. |
| Edis is in demand. He has in the past week been leading the prosecution of Nicholas Levene, 48, the former financier nicknamed Beano who is facing a "substantial" sentence after pleading guilty at Southwark crown court to running a £32m Ponzi fraud. | Edis is in demand. He has in the past week been leading the prosecution of Nicholas Levene, 48, the former financier nicknamed Beano who is facing a "substantial" sentence after pleading guilty at Southwark crown court to running a £32m Ponzi fraud. |
| Next week he will be lead prosecutor in the case against Huhne and his former wife, Vicky Pryce, who are accused of conspiring to pervert the course of justice. | Next week he will be lead prosecutor in the case against Huhne and his former wife, Vicky Pryce, who are accused of conspiring to pervert the course of justice. |
| But the current case against the former News of the World team is not his first brush with the tabloid. As a junior, he came to public prominence by defending the footballer Bruce Grobbelaar following a sting by the now defunct newspaper. | But the current case against the former News of the World team is not his first brush with the tabloid. As a junior, he came to public prominence by defending the footballer Bruce Grobbelaar following a sting by the now defunct newspaper. |
| His criminal work has involved him prosecuting dozens of murder cases including the infamous Lady in the Lake killing when Gordon Park was found guilty of bludgeoning his wife to death 30 years after he dumped her body in Coniston Water in the Lake District. | His criminal work has involved him prosecuting dozens of murder cases including the infamous Lady in the Lake killing when Gordon Park was found guilty of bludgeoning his wife to death 30 years after he dumped her body in Coniston Water in the Lake District. |
| John Kelsey-Fry QC | John Kelsey-Fry QC |
| Horse-loving John Kelsey-Fry is a sought-after defence barrister who has been hired by Rebekah Brooks in the last month and by Huhne earlier this year. Tipped as the new George Carman when he was chosen by News International to defend the News of the World and the Sun against a Romanian who had brought a libel action following allegations of a plot to kidnap the Beckhams. | Horse-loving John Kelsey-Fry is a sought-after defence barrister who has been hired by Rebekah Brooks in the last month and by Huhne earlier this year. Tipped as the new George Carman when he was chosen by News International to defend the News of the World and the Sun against a Romanian who had brought a libel action following allegations of a plot to kidnap the Beckhams. |
| Known in legal circles simply as Kelsey, he is perhaps best known for successfully defending Redknapp, jockey Kieren Fallon, and footballer Steven Gerrard. He shot to attention in the libel courts in 2005 when he was chosen by Polanski to fight a defamation case against Vanity Fair, marking him out as a future favourite for News International and Trinity Mirror. | Known in legal circles simply as Kelsey, he is perhaps best known for successfully defending Redknapp, jockey Kieren Fallon, and footballer Steven Gerrard. He shot to attention in the libel courts in 2005 when he was chosen by Polanski to fight a defamation case against Vanity Fair, marking him out as a future favourite for News International and Trinity Mirror. |
| Legal lore has it that he spends one hour preparing for every one minute in court. His profile on his chambers' website cites one observer saying: "He can be delicate when the situation requires but can easily duff a witness when necessary". | Legal lore has it that he spends one hour preparing for every one minute in court. His profile on his chambers' website cites one observer saying: "He can be delicate when the situation requires but can easily duff a witness when necessary". |
| Clare Montgomery QC | Clare Montgomery QC |
| Montgomery will also be seeing Huhne in October after she was hired to represent his ex-wife in Southwark crown court where they will be on trial, defending allegations that they conspired to pervert the course of justice in relation to a 2003 speeding case. | Montgomery will also be seeing Huhne in October after she was hired to represent his ex-wife in Southwark crown court where they will be on trial, defending allegations that they conspired to pervert the course of justice in relation to a 2003 speeding case. |
| One of the few female high flyers on the crime circuit, she was called to the bar in 1980 and after being made a Queen's Counsel 1996 continued her rise, becoming a deputy high court judge in 2003. | One of the few female high flyers on the crime circuit, she was called to the bar in 1980 and after being made a Queen's Counsel 1996 continued her rise, becoming a deputy high court judge in 2003. |
| She prosecuted the Metropolitan police following the death of Jean Charles de Menezes who was shot dead in 2005 after being mistaken for a suicide bomber – and has been representing the Swedish authorities in their long-running extradition fight with Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. | She prosecuted the Metropolitan police following the death of Jean Charles de Menezes who was shot dead in 2005 after being mistaken for a suicide bomber – and has been representing the Swedish authorities in their long-running extradition fight with Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. |
| Justice Adrian Fulford | Justice Adrian Fulford |
| Sir Adrian Fulford, presiding over all the Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson cases, is no stranger to high-profile criminal trials. He recently conducted the trial of Simon Harwood, the policeman cleared of killing Ian Tomlinson at the G20 protests in 2009. He became a high court judge in 2002, and was one of the first two openly gay men to reach that level in the judiciary. A year later he was elected at the United Nations to serve as a judge on the international criminal court. One of the most respected judges in the country, Fulford presided over the trial of four men who tried to bomb the London transport system on 21 July 2005. | Sir Adrian Fulford, presiding over all the Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson cases, is no stranger to high-profile criminal trials. He recently conducted the trial of Simon Harwood, the policeman cleared of killing Ian Tomlinson at the G20 protests in 2009. He became a high court judge in 2002, and was one of the first two openly gay men to reach that level in the judiciary. A year later he was elected at the United Nations to serve as a judge on the international criminal court. One of the most respected judges in the country, Fulford presided over the trial of four men who tried to bomb the London transport system on 21 July 2005. |
| • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication". | • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication". |
| • To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook. | • To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |