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| Neil Wallis, ex-NoW deputy editor, 'knew about phone hacking' | Neil Wallis, ex-NoW deputy editor, 'knew about phone hacking' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| It is "inconceivable" that former News of the World senior editor Neil Wallis did not know about phone hacking at the paper, an Old Bailey jury has heard. | It is "inconceivable" that former News of the World senior editor Neil Wallis did not know about phone hacking at the paper, an Old Bailey jury has heard. |
| Mr Wallis is on trial accused of conspiracy to hack voicemail messages. | Mr Wallis is on trial accused of conspiracy to hack voicemail messages. |
| Opening the trial, prosecutors said Mr Wallis, who was deputy editor from 2003 to 2007, was not accused of hacking any phones himself, but he "knew" it was being done and "agreed" to it. | Opening the trial, prosecutors said Mr Wallis, who was deputy editor from 2003 to 2007, was not accused of hacking any phones himself, but he "knew" it was being done and "agreed" to it. |
| Mr Wallis, 64, of Chiswick, west London, denies the charges. | Mr Wallis, 64, of Chiswick, west London, denies the charges. |
| The Sunday tabloid closed in July 2011 after allegations about phone hacking surfaced. | |
| Mr Wallis was deputy to former NoW editor Andy Coulson who, the jury was told, was convicted in the first hacking trial last year. His predecessor, Rebekah Brooks, was cleared of conspiring to intercept messages. | Mr Wallis was deputy to former NoW editor Andy Coulson who, the jury was told, was convicted in the first hacking trial last year. His predecessor, Rebekah Brooks, was cleared of conspiring to intercept messages. |
| 'Large scale' | 'Large scale' |
| A number of other staff at the now-defunct paper had already pleaded guilty to the same charge, prosecutor Julian Christopher QC told the jury. | A number of other staff at the now-defunct paper had already pleaded guilty to the same charge, prosecutor Julian Christopher QC told the jury. |
| He said: "The practice was so widespread at the NoW that it is inconceivable that the editor above him, Coulson, should have been involved, and those below him should have been involved, without him also knowing about it and being involved." | |
| There was "no dispute that hacking was going on, and going on on a large scale," he said. | There was "no dispute that hacking was going on, and going on on a large scale," he said. |
| He said during the trial a phone-hacking journalist would recount one occasion when Mr Wallis and Coulson were both played a taped voicemail recording setting a story in motion. | |
| And Mr Wallis was included in a number of emails which referred "obliquely" to hacking, the prosecutor said, adding: "All those involved in the email plainly knew what was being referred to." | |
| Prosecution witness | |
| The court heard that former NoW journalist Dan Evans, who has admitted extensive hacking, has agreed to give evidence for the prosecution. | |
| Mr Christopher said: "He will be able to provide a snapshot of what was taking place at the NoW under the stewardship of Andy Coulson at the top - and his deputy Mr Wallis." | |
| Evans began work at the NoW in January 2005 when he was tasked with phone hacking straight away, the court heard. |