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Andy Coulson charged with perjury in Tommy Sheridan case Andy Coulson charged with perjury in Tommy Sheridan case
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Andy Coulson, the former editor of the News of the World, has been formally charged with three counts of perjury in a hearingin Scotland. Andy Coulson, the former editor of the News of the World, has been formally charged with three counts of perjury in a hearing in Scotland.
In a three-page indictment handed down at the high court in Glasgow, Coulson has been accused of lying about his knowledge of phone hacking at the now defunct Sunday tabloid, lying about his knowledge of the “culture” of hacking at the paper and lying about his knowledge of payments allegedly made to corrupt police officers while editor of the paper.In a three-page indictment handed down at the high court in Glasgow, Coulson has been accused of lying about his knowledge of phone hacking at the now defunct Sunday tabloid, lying about his knowledge of the “culture” of hacking at the paper and lying about his knowledge of payments allegedly made to corrupt police officers while editor of the paper.
Coulson did not attend the hour-long preliminary hearing and did not enter a plea.Coulson did not attend the hour-long preliminary hearing and did not enter a plea.
The crown claimed that he had lied as a witness in trial of former Scottish Socialist MSP Tommy Sheridan and his wife Gail in December 2010.The crown claimed that he had lied as a witness in trial of former Scottish Socialist MSP Tommy Sheridan and his wife Gail in December 2010.
The first count of perjury relates to the period prior to the 2006 arrest of Glenn Mulcaire, the private investigator who has been found guilty of a phone-hacking conspiracy while contracted to the News of the World.The first count of perjury relates to the period prior to the 2006 arrest of Glenn Mulcaire, the private investigator who has been found guilty of a phone-hacking conspiracy while contracted to the News of the World.
Among the nine instances of alleged falsehoods, it is alleged that Coulson falsely claimed that he did not know his royal editor Clive Goodman was involved in hacking, that he did not know payments were being paid to Mulcaire for hacking and that he had not heard Mulcaire’s name prior to his arrest.Among the nine instances of alleged falsehoods, it is alleged that Coulson falsely claimed that he did not know his royal editor Clive Goodman was involved in hacking, that he did not know payments were being paid to Mulcaire for hacking and that he had not heard Mulcaire’s name prior to his arrest.
In the second count, Coulson is accused of claiming there “was not a culture of making use of unlawful interception of communications in the course of their transmissions by a public telecommunications system” and of falsely claiming that he was only aware of a “very unfortunate case” of phone hacking involving Goodman.In the second count, Coulson is accused of claiming there “was not a culture of making use of unlawful interception of communications in the course of their transmissions by a public telecommunications system” and of falsely claiming that he was only aware of a “very unfortunate case” of phone hacking involving Goodman.
Goodman and Mulcaire were jailed in 2007 in relation to phone hacking charges covering the period when Coulson was editor of News of the World.Goodman and Mulcaire were jailed in 2007 in relation to phone hacking charges covering the period when Coulson was editor of News of the World.
Addressing Coulson, the indictment states that the “truth being, as you well know” is “that between 10 October 2005 and 8 August 2006” – the date of the arrest of Goodman and Mulcaire – the former journalist knew payments of £500 a week were being made to the private investigator and he knew of his illegal activities.Addressing Coulson, the indictment states that the “truth being, as you well know” is “that between 10 October 2005 and 8 August 2006” – the date of the arrest of Goodman and Mulcaire – the former journalist knew payments of £500 a week were being made to the private investigator and he knew of his illegal activities.
The third count accuses Coulson of falsely claiming that “whilst employed as editor of the News of the World newspaper you had no knowledge of payments being made to corrupt police officers by staff” at the paper.The third count accuses Coulson of falsely claiming that “whilst employed as editor of the News of the World newspaper you had no knowledge of payments being made to corrupt police officers by staff” at the paper.
In relation to the second count, the indictment states that Coulson was aware of hacking other than that conducted by Goodman, specifically that of Milly Dowler, Daniel Craig and Kimberly Fortier (later Quinn), a woman with whom the former home secretary David Blunkett was having an affair.In relation to the second count, the indictment states that Coulson was aware of hacking other than that conducted by Goodman, specifically that of Milly Dowler, Daniel Craig and Kimberly Fortier (later Quinn), a woman with whom the former home secretary David Blunkett was having an affair.
In relation to the third count, it is alleged that between 2002 and 2007, a period spanning Coulson’s editorship and deputy editorship of the News of the World, that he “understood that payments had been made to corrupt police officers” by Goodman for royal telephone directories.In relation to the third count, it is alleged that between 2002 and 2007, a period spanning Coulson’s editorship and deputy editorship of the News of the World, that he “understood that payments had been made to corrupt police officers” by Goodman for royal telephone directories.