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Ex-Editor at British Tabloid Did Not Agree to Hacking, Lawyer Says Editor Did Not Agree to Hacking, Lawyer Says
(about 2 hours later)
LONDON — Andy Coulson, former editor of the now defunct News of the World tabloid, never agreed to any illegal phone hacking at the newspaper, his lawyer on Monday told the jury at the Old Bailey in the trial of Mr. Coulson, his former boss, Rebekah Brooks, and six others. LONDON — Andy Coulson, former editor of the tabloid The News of the World, now defunct, never agreed to any illegal phone hacking at the newspaper, his lawyer on Monday told the jury at the Old Bailey in the trial of Mr. Coulson, his former boss, Rebekah Brooks, and six others.
Mr. Coulson, later the communications director for Prime Minister David Cameron, wishes he had made some “different decisions” but “he did not commit these offenses,” said his lawyer, Timothy Langdale, in a statement that seemed to mark a definitive break between Mr. Coulson and Ms. Brooks, whose six-year affair was revealed in court this week by the chief prosecutor, Andrew Edis. Mr. Coulson, later the communications director for Prime Minister David Cameron, wishes he had made some “different decisions” but “he did not commit these offenses,” said his lawyer, Timothy Langdale, in a statement that seemed to mark a break between Mr. Coulson and Ms. Brooks, whose six-year affair was revealed in court recently by the chief prosecutor, Andrew Edis.
In fact, Mr. Langdale said, Mr. Coulson had been hacked by a private investigator, Glenn Mulcaire, who has pleaded guilty to phone hacking for the newspaper.In fact, Mr. Langdale said, Mr. Coulson had been hacked by a private investigator, Glenn Mulcaire, who has pleaded guilty to phone hacking for the newspaper.
“Both a conspirator and a victim at the same time?” Mr. Langdale asked. “The two things do not sit easily together, do they?”“Both a conspirator and a victim at the same time?” Mr. Langdale asked. “The two things do not sit easily together, do they?”
Mr. Coulson, Ms. Brooks and the others are on trial here on a variety of charges involving the tabloid’s cellphone hacking to get voice messages of prominent people; illegal payments to government officials, including police officials, to gain access to private information and closely held phone numbers; and conspiracy to hide or destroy evidence. Mr. Coulson, Ms. Brooks and the others are on trial here on a variety of charges involving the tabloid’s cellphone hacking to get voice mail messages of prominent people; illegal payments to government officials, including police officials, to gain access to private information and closely held phone numbers; and conspiracy to hide or destroy evidence.
All eight defendants deny guilt, but the prosecution maintains that Mr. Coulson as well as Ms. Brooks and other senior editors at the paper must have known about the hacking. All eight defendants deny guilt, but the prosecution maintains that Mr. Coulson as well as Ms. Brooks and other senior editors at the newspaper must have known about the hacking.
Wrapping up his summary, Mr. Edis said Monday that Ms. Brooks and her husband, Charlie Brooks, engaged in an elaborate and ultimately unsuccessful effort to hide computers and documents from the police.Wrapping up his summary, Mr. Edis said Monday that Ms. Brooks and her husband, Charlie Brooks, engaged in an elaborate and ultimately unsuccessful effort to hide computers and documents from the police.
According to Mr. Edis, on July 8, 2011, Ms. Brooks had her personal assistant, Cheryl Carter, remove seven boxes of her notebooks, dating from 1995 to 2007, from the newpaper’s archives before detectives could find them. She resigned her post as chief executive of Rupert Murdoch’s News International a week later, on July 15, and was arrested two days after that. According to Mr. Edis, on July 8, 2011, Ms. Brooks had her personal assistant, Cheryl Carter, remove seven boxes of her notebooks, dating from 1995 to 2007, from the newspaper’s archives before detectives could find them. She resigned her post as chief executive of Rupert Murdoch’s News International a week later, on Friday, July 15, and was arrested two days after that.
Mr. Edis said that the Brookses and News International’s chief of security, Mark Hanna, arranged for a security staff member to pick up a laptop and other material from the couple’s Oxfordshire home and hide it in a garbage bag near garbage bins in a parking garage close to their London apartment on the following Saturday night.Mr. Edis said that the Brookses and News International’s chief of security, Mark Hanna, arranged for a security staff member to pick up a laptop and other material from the couple’s Oxfordshire home and hide it in a garbage bag near garbage bins in a parking garage close to their London apartment on the following Saturday night.
The staff member texted Mr. Hanna, who is also on trial: “Broadsword calling Danny Boy. Pizza delivered and the chicken is in the pot.”The staff member texted Mr. Hanna, who is also on trial: “Broadsword calling Danny Boy. Pizza delivered and the chicken is in the pot.”
But the bag was discovered by a cleaner and turned over to the police, Mr. Edis said. On Sunday, he said, Mr. Brooks and a driver went to the garbage area to recover the material, which was gone. “The only rational explanation,” he asserted, “was to hide material so police can’t get it.”But the bag was discovered by a cleaner and turned over to the police, Mr. Edis said. On Sunday, he said, Mr. Brooks and a driver went to the garbage area to recover the material, which was gone. “The only rational explanation,” he asserted, “was to hide material so police can’t get it.”
Two iPads belonging to the couple have never been recovered, he added.Two iPads belonging to the couple have never been recovered, he added.
Mr. Langdale acknowledged that his making the defense statement for Mr. Coulson before the prosecution presented evidence was unusual. But he said it was necessary to emphasize to the jury that Mr. Coulson, as deputy editor to Ms. Brooks and then as her successor, had a lot to do and was not aware of everything taking place at the newspaper.Mr. Langdale acknowledged that his making the defense statement for Mr. Coulson before the prosecution presented evidence was unusual. But he said it was necessary to emphasize to the jury that Mr. Coulson, as deputy editor to Ms. Brooks and then as her successor, had a lot to do and was not aware of everything taking place at the newspaper.
Mr. Coulson “was never part of an agreement to hack phones — no matter what others were doing on his watch,” Mr. Langdale said. “He wished he had made some different decisions, and although he might wish he had made some different decisions, he did not commit these offenses.”Mr. Coulson “was never part of an agreement to hack phones — no matter what others were doing on his watch,” Mr. Langdale said. “He wished he had made some different decisions, and although he might wish he had made some different decisions, he did not commit these offenses.”
He told the jury that the prosecution was misguided. “Their interpretation is wrong, their conclusions are wrong – there will be a time to reflect all that.” He told the jury that the prosecution was misguided. “Their interpretation is wrong, their conclusions are wrong — there will be a time to reflect all that.”
Mr. Edis argued to the jury last week that the News of the World, a Sunday tabloid, was not the length of “War and Peace” and that the top editors would have to have known of and approved the illegal activities. He quoted one note from Mr. Coulson ordering an investigator to “do” a target’s phone, which Mr. Edis suggested was a reference to phone hacking. Mr. Edis argued to the jury last week that The News of the World, a Sunday tabloid, was not the length of “War and Peace” and that the top editors would have to have known of and approved the illegal activities. He quoted one note from Mr. Coulson ordering an investigator to “do” a target’s phone, which Mr. Edis suggested was a reference to phone hacking.