Rebekah Brooks cleared of all charges

**bb1** Tue Jun 24, 2014 12:20 pm

http://news.sky.com/story/1288398/hacking-brooks-cleared-but-coulson-guilty

Hacking: Brooks Cleared But Coulson Guilty

Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson

Rebekah Brooks has been cleared of all charges in the phone-hacking trial, while Andy Coulson has been found guilty of phone hacking.

Jurors at the Old Bailey found former News of the World editor Coulson guilty of conspiring to hack phones with others between 2000 and 2006.

The 46-year-old ex-Number 10 spin doctor, who was forced to quit as Prime Minister David Cameron's communications director over the scandal, now faces the possibility of a prison sentence.

An emotional Mrs Brooks, former chief executive of News International, who was found not guilty of all the charges she faced by the eight women and three men jury, was led out of the courtroom upon learning the verdicts.

More follows...

**bb1** Wed Jun 25, 2014 1:31 pm

Cameron the genius strikes again - he's f*cked up Coulson's trial now rofl

From:

http://news.sky.com/story/1289112/hacking-trial-jury-discharged-on-final-charges

Hacking Trial Jury Discharged On Final Charges
Jurors fail to reach verdicts on charges faced by Andy Coulson and Clive Goodman, as the judge criticises comments made by the PM.

urors who failed to reach verdicts on four final charges in the phone hacking trial have been discharged by a judge who criticised the Prime Minister for comments that could have caused the case to collapse.

Andy Coulson, the former Number 10 spin doctor, and the ex-News Of The World (NOTW) royal editor Clive Goodman had been accused of conspiring to commit misconduct in public office by paying police officers for two royal phone directories.

But after sitting through eight months of evidence at the Old Bailey, the jury could not reach even a majority verdict and were discharged.

It means stinging criticism of David Cameron can now be reported for the first time.

The judge, Mr Justice Saunders, said he was "very concerned" about comments the Prime Minister made while the jury was still deliberating.

"What has happened is unsatisfactory so far as justice and the rule of law are concerned," he said.

The move to discharge the jury comes after Coulson was found guilty of plotting to hack phones between 2000 and 2006 while working at the NOTW.

The scandal, which cost the 46-year-old his job as the Prime Minister's communications director and led to the closure of his former newspaper, involved a list of high-profile targets, including Kate Middleton and Prince William, James Bond star Daniel Craig and murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler.

His former colleague Rebekah Brooks and her husband Charlie Brooks were cleared of the charges they faced.

Shortly after those verdicts were delivered, Mr Cameron led the way in what the judge called "open season" by offering a public apology for hiring Coulson in 2007.

Sky's Home Affairs Correspondent Mark White, at the Old Bailey, said: "The comments made by the Prime Minister were very prejudicial, suggesting Coulson had been dishonest.

"There was a move by the legal counsel for Coulson and Goodman to have those remaining counts thrown out ... because they felt the jury would not be able to reach fair conclusions.

"However, in essence, that argument is a moot point for the moment because the jury has not been able to reach verdicts.".....etc.

Way to go, Dave! rofl

**bb1** Wed Jun 25, 2014 6:19 pm

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2669009/How-95million-phone-hacking-trial-expensive-criminal-case-Britain.html

The most expensive case in British criminal history: How 'astronomic' bill for £20,000-a-day barristers, seven months at the Old Bailey and witnesses flown in from Australia spiralled to £95MILLION
Seven-month trial at the Old Bailey cost public purse £35million
Figure includes police investigations, court costs and huge legal fees
Whole hacking scandal has cost Rupert Murdoch's News Corp £315million
Defence called on top barristers who cost as much as £20,000 per day
Judge frequently alluded to 'astronomic' costs of the lengthy trial

Speechless. What a waste of money.

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Rebekah Brooks cleared of all charges

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Re: Rebekah Brooks cleared of all charges