Hacking Trial Live Tweets – 16 Apr

Wednesday 16 April 2014

Summary
	The Defence of Andy Coulson Continues
		Counsel for Andy Coulson asks him about The Blunkett Affair
		Thurlbeck speaks to Coulson about Voicemail messgaes
		Coulson decides to speak to David Blunkett
		Coulson’s meeting with Blunkett
		Coulson conversations with Huw Evans
		Coulson asked about other Hacking Vicitims
		More questions on David Blunkett
		Coulson questioned on Charles Clarke
		The Calum Best Story and the “Do his phone” emial

The Defence of Andy Coulson Continues
	Counsel for Andy Coulson asks him about The Blunkett Affair
		Back at #hackingtrial on Day 99: Langdale continues with his client Andy Coulson, now turning to the Blunkett affair in August 2004
		Before that Coulson talks about his communication with politicians during his editorship of NOTW
		Communications with politicians was at a “reporter level… and at my level I’d be talking to politicians on a reasonable regular basis”
		“At conference time.” says Coulson “that’s a fairly concentrated time…. Lunches and dinner at other times during the year as well”
		“Having a good relationship with an editor made that easier” says Coulson of politicians putting forward their views.
		“It was a two-way relationship” says Coulson of putting forward campaigns for the paper, and the readers views.
		Coulson says he had “social contact and professional contact” with Blunkett’s adviser Hugh Evans both before and after Blunkett story
		“You would seek to build relationships with as many members of the cabinet you could’ says Coulson: “and the shadow cabinet”
		Coulson also talks of relationships with ministers and individual MPs a well, as editor of NOTW.
		“We had a very good relationship with Blunkett” says Coulson, because he supported Sarah’s Law and ”Huntley position”
		Coulson says both he and Ian Kirby and other members of staff had contact with Blunkett, and a senior NI exec “knew him quite well”
		Langdale turns to the ‘admissions’ and ‘agreed facts’ from the #hackingtrial – about hacking around David Blunkett‘s voicemails
		Agreed facts at #hackingtrial concern Blunkett’s affair with Kimberely Quinn: Mulcaire hacks her phone in July 2004: voicemails identified
		A microcassette containing voicemail messages was found in a news international safe with transcript by Neville Thurlbeck: joint admissions
		Langdale cites 05/08/04 agreement with Fariah Alam for £150k for her story in NOTW
		Langdale turns to the Blunkett/Quinn timeline in the summer of 2004: various calls and paperwork relating to Mulcaire hacking
		One of these hacked voicemails is a message from a clinic regarding Quinn’s pregnancy.
		Coulson was on holiday in the latter part of July with his family: on 21/07/04 he received a call from Neville Thurlbeck late at night.
		Coulson was on the way to airport in Italy to collect his brother from airport: he was lost. He pulled up.
	Thurlbeck speaks to Coulson about Voicemail messgaes
		“Neville told me he had a tip David Blunkett was having an affair with Kimberley Fortier.” says Coulson. “He had heard voicemails”
		“I was shocked,” says Coulson “because of voicemail messages, and it was in relation to David Blunkett“.
		“I used some colourful language” says Coulson “and asked him what on earth do you think you’re doing?”
		“A very senior politician who happened to be a friend of the paper” says Coulson: “a very clear breach of privacy”
		BREAKING: Coulson tells #hackingtrial that Neville Thurlbeck informed him he’d listened to Blunkett voicemails in 2004
		“I was very clear I wanted any investigation taking place to stop” says Coulson of conversation with Thurlbeck and Blunkett voicemails
		Coulson says he wasn’t aware of any specific rumour about Blunkett at that point.
		“My concern was that it was an apparent breach of privacy… involving someone I knew… a friend of the paper” says Coulson of Blunkett
		Coulson says he made another call after talking to Thurlbeck: “I called my [another NOTW journo] almost immediately after….”
		“I can’t recall from x’s reaction whether he had any knowledge at all” says Coulson of call to other senior NOTW journo and phone hacking
		Coulson returned from his holiday in Italy, which was interrupted by running Svengate story: that continued when he returned to UK in 2004
		Coulson talks of the Max Clifford ‘auction’ for Fariah Alam story – “an expensive process which absorbed most my time that week”
		“Neville came to my office to effectively re-pitch the Blunkett story” says Coulson of his return from holiday in July 2004
		05/08/04 on timeline an intercepted voicemail of Quinn: around 06/08/04 Coulson talked to Thurlbeck in his office.
		Coulson can’t remember if anyone else was present at this meeting with Thurlbeck: “it was August – people were on holiday…”
		Coulson say Thurlbeck “wanted to play me some voicemails” to demonstrate Blunkett story in public interest.
		BREAKING: Coulson says Neville Thurlbeck played him intimate voicemail messages of David Blunkett in August 2004
		“I remember David Blunkett declaring his love… I will blow this apart… Another mention of terrorist arrests… reference to GCHQ”
		Coulson says Thurlbeck “passed on other pieces of information” which he “assumed” also “came from messages”
		Thurlbeck told Coulson the relationship had been going on for three years, spent time in a cottage, and were meeting next week.
		Coulson also says Thurlbeck told him “There might be an issue over the paternity of one of Kimberley Fortier’s children”
		“It wasn’t clear from the conversation… the dates of the messages he listened to” says Coulson: “I wasn’t pleased”
		“Neville was the chief reporter… the more I listened to him the more I thought there was some public interest justification” says Coulson
		Coulson says “the conversation did not go into detail” about how Thurlbeck got the voicemails: “I assumed Neville had done it himself”
		Langdale points out this was “plainly in breach of the code”: “I remained shocked” says Coulson. “The first and only time voicemails played”
		“I was still in the midst of the Sven saga” says Coulson: “I needed time to think… Itold him very clearly ‘stop whatever you’re doing'”
		Coulson explains “Neville’s argument” and public interest: “David Blunkett was distracted by this affair… sharing sensitive information”
		“He was talking about his movements and security in a way he shouldn’t be doing… could go public”: Coulson on Thurlbeck’s justification
		“Over the weekend I thought the issue through” says Coulson: “By the Monday I thought this was an investigation I should take further”
		“I looked to see if I could make this story work in some way” says Coulson of Blunkett affair: “In my mind it needed standing up…”
		“The paper would need to get confirmation of it” says Coulson of Blunkett affair, but he decided it was in public interest.
		Coulson says he doesn’t know what happened to tapes: he never heard any more tapes “I imagine I saw a story… much closer to publication”
		Coulson says he doesn’t recognise the Thurlbeck documents adduced earlier in the trial on Blunkett
		“My initial thought was that I would wait to see… another indication of proof” says Coulson of Blunkett voicemail hackings.
		“My initial planned course of action was to present what we had to David Blunkett… to be completely upfront” says Coulson
		Initially Coulson was planning to tell Blunkett of voicemail messages
		15/08/04 Blunkett meets Quinn in London: that is photographed by NOTW: “It wasn’t of itself proof” says Coulson.
	Coulson decides to speak to David Blunkett
		“I decided what I would do was approach Blunkett myself… in a way that would maintain the relationship with him” says Coulson
		Coulson said he taken “legal advice” prior to meeting Blunkett: told there was a “privacy issue” which was more “acute” for Quinn
		Coulson says that removing Quinn’s name would avoid privacy issue: and he thought “Blunkett more likely to confirm story”
		Langdale explores Coulson’s legal advice. Tweets redacted for legal reasons: “more than one discussion”
		Break for legal argument
		Back at 11.15
		Back after #hackingtrial break. Justice Saunders explains to jury he stopped to consider questions of legal privilege in Coulson’s evidence
		Coulson continues with his internal NI legal conversations and privacy issues over Quinn
		“I don’t remember any conversation about methodology” says Coulson over how the Blunkett voicemail messages obtained.
		Coulson re-iterates that his “assumption was” Thurlbeck had obtained messages.
		“This is advice that I’m getting, these were not instructions” says Coulson: “I want to make it very clear these were my decisions”
		Coulson cannot recall any “mention of illegality” in legal discussions at NI over the Blunkett voicemails.
		Coulson explains “David Blunkett was a friend of the company, a friend of my boss… I decided to approach David Blunkett directly”
		Coulson spoke to Blunkett the day before he met him 13/08/04: “I told him I was looking to publishing a story” about his affair with Quinn
		“I said I’m more than happy to come to you there” says Coulson of visiting Blunkett in his Sheffield constituency home: “to confirm story”
		Coulson says he spoke to another NI exec about Blunkett before the Home Secretary met Quinn on the previous Wednesday
		“I told him what I knew” says Coulson of NI exec: the material he had, the public interest issues: “in essence what Neville had said to me”
		Coulson says conversation NI exec “was not my seeking approval or sign off of what I was doing… I was not asking for x’s authority”
		Coulson says by time of conversation with NI exec “not sure I had fixed my course how to approach story… my decision… my mistake”
		“I shouldn’t have approached the story the way I did” says Coulson: “it was clear the material was a product of an illegal act.”
		BREAKING: Coulson says he didn’t know phone hacking was an illegal act at the time of the David Blunkett voicemails in August 2004
		Coulson addresses the six calls with Thurlbeck on the day before he met Blunkett: he assumes these were about liaison with Quinn
		Coulson says he never spoke about the Blunkett story in his contact with Rebekah Brooks at on the three days leading to meeting Blunkett
		Coulson says he was frequently in contact with Brooks – but didn’t discuss Blunkett.
	Coulson’s meeting with Blunkett
		Langdale turns to the taped conversation with Blunkett and Coulson: heard before. The jury have a transcript.
		“The tape recorder was on the table” says Coulson of Blunkett’s recording: he knew that he was being taped.
		“There’s no desire to cause you damage. It precedes my editorship” says Coulson to Blunkett on tape.
		Blunkett talks about his principle of privacy and how he defended the Tories in the 80s on this issue.
		On tape Blunkett says his friendship with Kimberley isn’t a secret: Coulson says “you’ve been much more than friends”
		On tape Coulson talks about his sources and how he is “extremely confident of his information” – a three year affair, spent nights together
		Coulson tells Blunkett he knows Quinn spent nights at Blunkett’s holiday cottage. Blunkett talks about his ex wife being badgered.
		“I get this all the time. You’re bound to. People want to make money” says Blunkett of affair allegations to Coulson.
		“At least one of my sources is without doubt going to take this to another newspaper” Coulson tells Blunkett in 2004
		Blunkett asks “what it’s based on”: Coulson “extremely reliably sources: Blunkett: “Everyone says that… it’s not evidence”
		“Forgive me for being crude about this, but I’m not going to lay out photos of you and this lady in a bedroom” says Coulson to Blunkett
		Coulson references Ericsson and Beckham on the tape: Blunkett points out he’s not them. “No you’re the Home Secretary” says Coulson
		“My private life is my own… I’ve been divorced for 14 years…. what do you expect me to say” asks Blunkett. Coulson says “married woman”
		“You’re asking me to say I’ve had an affair with a married woman” asks Blunkett. “yes and nothing more” says Coulson on tape
		“As editor of the NOTW I’m prepared to run this story because I believe it’s true” says Coulson to Blunkett.
		“There are matters that someone in your position has to deal with… affair with a married woman is justifiable” says Coulson
		“I’ve had close friendships for years, doesn’t mean I’ve had sexual relationships with them” says Blunkett.
		“I think I can run this story in a way that will minimise it” Coulson tells David Blunkett in 2004: tape played again at #hackingtrial
		“I’ve taken the trouble of exposing myself in this way” says Coulson: “The information I have is very solid” he tells Blunkett
		Blunkett probes Coulson for more information on source: “there’s a certain amount of information I can reveal… people know about it David”
		Blunkett confirms meeting Quinn on previous Thursday: “this has no real bearing on story” say Coulson: “Is the relationship ongoing?”
		“If another newspaper had seen her going into your house, given what has already been written in Daily Mail, that’s a spread” says Coulson
		“It’s a bad job” says Blunkett. Coulson says it’s not an assumption based on “airy fairy” information: he’s not come to blag a story
		“I’m young enough to want a private life” says Blunkett to Coulson on 2004 tape
		“I’ve got two over-riding concerns” says Blunkett. First to stop Quinn “being damaged” and “prevent open season on my private life”
		In 1994/5 when Tories were in pickle… we should take each other on in a political arena, what goes on in private is private” says Blunkett
		Coulson tells Blunkett in 2004 Quinn is “in the media” and others “will make hay” with allegation of affair
		“If people treat each other with respect, with love and care, what goes on in their private life is their business” says Blunkett
		Coulson promises to keep Quinn out of story – even preventing “jigsaw identification”
		“I don’t want you going away with any resentment I’ve misled you” says Blunkett. “Is the story true?” asks Coulson.
		“That’s how things should be” says Coulson of Blunkett’s privacy: “but that’s not how they are”
		Blunkett “Not prepared to go into Bedroom Talk, now or in the future” Coulson: “Perhaps that’s how the press should be… but unrealistic”
		Blunkett says he doesn’t want his other married friends “fingered”. Coulson denies there will be a “flood of stories” about other friends
		“I don’t think this is open season… you’re the Home Secretary… but if you’re not going to engage with us. Some serious thinking to do”
		Blunkett explains how he has had other friends staying at his cottage. Coulson repeats he’s going to run the story.
		“I don’t think it’s a splash. Probably a page 1 story with a spread inside” says Coulson: “and then it will come to an end”
		Blunkett thanks Coulson for coming up. Coulson thanks Blunkett for sparing the time – back in August 2004 #hackingtrial
		Coulson says he’d read cuttings prior to meeting Blunkett. He used the word “sources” plural because Neville said he also had a “tip”
		BREAKING: Coulson says it was his “mistake” not mentioning voicemail messages to Blunkett: says legal advice on injunction was a factor too
		Coulson says the impact of Blunkett conversation on ‘Bedroom Talk” was to think “I’m not there yet… standing it up”
		“I’m not going to run the story until it’s confirmed… that’s why I’m having this conversation” says Coulson of Blunkett meeting.
		Coulson says that he had another conversation with Blunkett who told him he had a statement and to deal with his SAPD Huw Evans in future
		Coulson cannot remember if Blunkett issued his statement on the Friday or Saturday. Coulson then called Huw Evans
	Coulson conversations with Huw Evans
		Previous evidence has shown a text between Coulson and Huw Evans, and a landline conversation when Evans was in Cardiff.
		“I talked to him about the story” says Coulson of Evans who had concerns about Blunkett’s security – a photo showed number of Blunkett house
		Coulson says NOTW disguised Blunkett door and number. Evans was concerned that the story didn’t seem to come from Blunkett.
		Coulson says Huw Evans didn’t want any suggestion Blunkett was falling down on the job.
		Coulson claims he told Evans to tell him if anything in the story was incorrect:
		Coulson says of Huw Evans response he assumed he had confirmation of Blunkett affair.
		“Having read him every word of the story, says Coulson: “You must tell me Hugh if any part of this is wrong” Evans didn’t respond.
		“I think I told him what the headlines were and gave him the opportunity to say if the story was inaccurate” says Coulson of Blunkett SPAD
		“I think we stayed in touch over that period” says Coulson of Evans: “And I think we stayed in contact the following week”
		Coulson explains he’s outed ‘source’ Huw Evans because he’s given evidence to #hackingtrial – normally would not do because “off the record”
		Timothy Landgale QC goes through the phone contact events between Coulson and Brooks, Thurlbeck and Evans on 14/08/04
		Multiple phone contact between Brooks and Coulson the weekend of the NOTW Blunkett Splash. Sun names Quinn on the Monday
		Coulson denies “co-operating” with Brooks over Blunkett story: possible they talked about it once NOTW had gone to bed.
		Coulson said there was no spoof of NOTW that weekend – and they publicised the Blunkett story to other newspapers via Hayley Barlow
		“I’ve certainly no reason not to talk to her about the story after it was printed” says Coulson of Brooks: “but not beforehand”
		Coulson says “it’s possible” Brooks told him the Sun were going to name Kimberly Quinn once NOTW story published.
		The Sun publishes stories on 16/08/04 17/08/04 naming Quinn. On 26/08/04 NOTW names her too and Blunkett’s “love nest”
		The jury turn to the NOTW Blunkett story in 2004
		The Blunkett affair is a Neville Thurlbeck headline on NOTW with a two page spread on page 2 and 3: first subheading “a source told NOTW”
		This NOTW source talks about a “deep love… intense”: Coulson says “that information provide by Neville… his interpretation of messages”
		“We ran it in a way to minimise the damage” says Coulson of Blunkett NOTW splash. He wasn’t interested in issue of children
		NOTW editorial column of that Blunkett affair edition ends: “Nevertheless we have no doubt he still has much to offer the nation”
		“When we asked him about the affair this week” says NOTW article and then follows with Blunkett’s written statement.
		Langdale turns to Sun front page following Monday 16/08/04 naming Kimberly Quinn
		Langdale now turns to link between Blunkett and Sally Anderson at a later date: admissions say Anderson hacked by Mulcaire
		Agreed facts on Sally Anderson, accepted by both sides of #hackingtrial relate to Blunkett voicemails upset about leaks to press.
		Langdale points out that Anderson was responsible for providing information to the Daily Mail about meeting Blunkett
		Admissions talk of Blunkett suing the Daily Mail and Anderson issuing an apology
		NOTW published a story about Blunkett and Sally Anderson on 02/10/05 – Daily Mail story follows on 08/10/05
		Coulson says he cannot deal with the Sally Anderson Blunkett story without seeing a copy of that edition of NOTW.
		01/10/05 Email from Coulson rewriting Weatherup on “Blunkett’s new blonde cheating on him” cited by Langdale
		Coulson says “we had information she was having a relationship with…. Andy King who went on to be her husband” of Sally Anderson.
		Coulson says the story NOTW had was “at odds” with other press coverage which suggested a serious affair between Blunkett and Anderson
		The timeline shows the history of hacking Sally Anderson played Max Clifford tapes of Blunkett. Published in the People 16/10/05
		“Ten recordings of voicemail messages left by David Blunkett” hacked by Mulcaire “played to the jury earlier in the trial” says Langdale
	Coulson asked about other Hacking Vicitims
		Coulson is asked about a) a story about Beckham and Loos and b) an email relating to Delia Smith “which has come up in course of evidence”
		Coulson agrees the Beckham Rebecca Loos story was “pretty big”: “it was quite an expensive story”: work on story began around March 2004
		Loos went to Max Clifford after NOTW approach: the paper did a deal with Clifford. NOTW ‘spoofed’ a first edition to prevent rivals matching
		Cannot tweet this bit of evidence on instructions of Justice Saunders
		Back to another timeline “looked at rarely in this case” says Langdale talking of Delia Smith timeline.
		04/03/05 an email chain between Coulson and Thurlbeck about “attending a football match”: “We should discuss tactics beforehand” he writes
		Thurlbeck talks about Delia Smith and another meeting with “Rebecca” Loos: other buyups and stories “we had a regular relationship with her”
		More emails on Fariah Alam adduced by Langdale, including an unsigned contract with her circa 2005 another “continuing relationship”
		The Alam timeline talks about payments by NOTW for a “renewed affair”: Coulson can’t remember if these were paid.
		31/05/05 Derek Webb at ‘Silent Shadow Services’ emails Thurlbeck over “concerns.. it’s been five weeks since I’ve worked for you”
		Webb talks about having to pursue alternative surveillance work. Thurlbeck forwards email to Coulson and Weatherup about “losing” him
		Coulson “doesn’t remember” having any knowledge of Silent Shadow before this point: “Derek Webb not someone who stuck in my mind”
		In June 2005 Coulson says “have we sorted this out” on Webb contract.
		31/03/06: Thurlbeck: Derek is by far the best watcher, follower, digger combined… night sight video cameras. can we get him on a contract”
		Lunch break till 2pm
	More questions on David Blunkett
		Back after lunch at the #hackingtrial – Andy Coulson well into his third day of evidence in chief.
		Langdale clarifies some evidence about Blunkett 2004 story Coulson gave this morning.
		Langdale quotes Coulson telling Thurlbeck “stop what you’re doing… I wanted time to think” about Blunkett affair.
		Coulson explains what he meant that he wanted to take the Blunkett story forward: he didn’t change his mind about Thurlbeck and voicemails
		Coulson says he spoke to another NI exec before and after seeing Blunkett: “at least one conversation on the Saturday”
		“My memory is.. I told X I was running story on the Saturday” says Coulson of this NI exec
		Coulson says: “My memory is that X asked me again why I didn’t name Kimberly Fortier (Quinn)”
		Coulson says he was not aware of anyone hacking Hanna Pawlby’s phone: he was calling her (Mulcaire recorded messages) on other info
		25/05/05 another NOTW journo emails Coulson about rumours of Pawlby Clarke affair. Ian Kirby left message on Pawlby’s phone 16/06/05
		Coulson explains that he knew both Charles Clarke and Pawlby: Ian Kirby, NOTW political editor “had good working relationship” wit Pawlby
		18/06/05 Coulson’s voicemail left on Pawlby’s phone – recorded by Mulcaire. On the same day a call from NI hub phone around 3pm
		Second voicemail message from Coulson to Pawlby around the same time: Coulson cannot confirm the NI hub phone was used by him
		Email chain from Thurlbeck the same day. More messages left by other journos on Pawlby’s phone that Saturday: BBC, Sky News
		19/06/05 Daily Mail leaves a message on Pawlby’s phone. The NOTW publishes that day. 21/06/05 Tessa Jowell‘s SPAD leaves message.
		Langdale goes through the ‘admissions’ or ‘agreed facts’ on Clarke, Pawlby, and the Mulcaire voicemail hacks.
		Langdale explains that Blunkett resigned as Home Secretary in late 2004 over ‘visa applications’ for a nanny “deemed fast tracked”
	Coulson questioned on Charles Clarke
		Charles Clarke replaced Blunkett as Home Secretary: Coulson already had contact with him “a good relationship… “
		Though Clarke helped as education secretary on anti bullying. However there was tension over “immigration and law and order issues”
		Coulson remembers Clarke having a very “unusual” interview with Mazher Mahmood: “It made a spread in the paper”
		Coulson remembers a rumour about the Pawlby having an affair with Charles Clarke: NOTW political editor Ian Kirby told him it was “not true”
		A 13/06/05 document cited by Langdale about “ID cards”: “not a major issue for us” says Coulson of ID card issue
		On a NOTW news list schedule in June 2005 bullying, ID cards and Immigration are issues the political editor was interested in
		16/06/05 on the NOTW news list “bullying campaign” and Ryan Sabey are mentioned: “Some sort of story envisaged that week” Coulson agrees
		Zac Newland emails Paul Bennett in Overnight log for June 15th and 16th 2005 newsdesk: “a memo for news editor” says Coulson
		“A good bullying story broke on PA overnight” says overnight memo: Ryan Sabey has now filed his bullying story for NOTW.
		Same overnight log for that Thursday: a capitalised item Fresh Freedom Bid for Train Robber Biggs: “if the Home Secretary can release…”
		Story cites lawyer on Biggs saying “Let the old man go”: Coulson says this story would have been of interest to NOTW ‘had be been released”
		Home Office ‘Lines to Take’ from press office cited by Langdale explaining the official position on Ronald Biggs.
		18/06/05 email from Neville Thurlbeck about Derek Webb following Hanna Pawlby cited agains in court: “nothing new on message front”
		Coulson says he wasn’t aware Thurlbeck was conducting surveillance on Pawlby – “nothing unusual or significant” about not knowing.
		Justice Saunders asks if it was odd “not knowing anything about a Home Secretary” being part of the surveillance. “Early stage” says Coulson
		“If they believe the story was true” says Coulson of Clarke affair rumours: “at some stage it would have been brought to my attention”
		Kate Bierman message to Pawlby left on 18/06/05 followed by first of Coulson’s phone messages: “Hello Hannah… It’s Andy Coulson here”
		“I’ve got a story we’re running tomorrow… It’s quite a serious story” says Coulson to Pawlby message asking for direct contact
		Second call from Coulson: “Hi Hanna – sorry to hassle you” to Pawlby
		Coulson cannot remember making the call, but he’s certain it wasn’t “anything to do with an alleged affair”
		“Charles Clarke never said… call me direct if you think I’m having an affair” says Coulson. He would never approached him in that way.
		Coulson thinks “it’s possible” they wanted a “comment from previous education secretary” on bullying story.
		“But now I think it was the big story” says Coulson, of Ronnie Biggs release: “I can’t say for sure… but I think it was the big story”
		Langdale explains that because Mulcaire hacked these messages from Coulson, they went into Pawlby’s saved messages, she never got them
		More messages from Pawlby’s recorded voicemails cited by Langdale – including calls from Mail. 16/06/05 Ian Kirby message cited.
		Sky want to talk to Pawlby about Bamber story; another request about Parliamentary issues – these are among evidence of her voicemails
		Langdale turns to NI hub calls to Home Office Press office on that date, and the two messages from hub phone connected to Coulson.
		Some emails from Home Office to Ian Kirby in October 2005 cited by Langdale: in bold type a briefing on the debate on pre-charge detention
		Another NOTW journalist emails Coulson about a Lord Stevens Chief piece “powerful argument for three month detention”
		Coulson explains how Lord Stevens had been signed as a columnist, and NOTW wanted him to write in favour of three month detention
		“Just shows the papers interest in things that interested the Home Office” Justice Saunders clarifies about this bit of the timelines
		17/03/06 Hanna Pawlby emails NOTW deputy political editor about a Birmingham story “the kind of thing provided to NOTW” says Langdale.
		“Another example of the Home Office, picking up something the NOTW had published, and communicating with paper” explains Langdale
		Langdale adduces 20/03/05 copy of NOTW: a two page spread 20-21an exclusive Mazher Mahmood interview (his face obscured) with Charles Clarke
		NOTW strap on Mahmood interview with Clarke: “The Home Secretary Faces his Toughest Ever Interview”
		19/07/05 NOTW third edition: main story is George Best – on the right is an item on Ronnie Biggs “to be freed in a week”.
		‘Kelly’s Zeroes” NOTW story is about the new education secretary, Ruth Kelly, failing to follow the anti-bullying campaign of the paper
		The ‘Kelly’s Zeroes’ article references a statement by previous education secretary Charles Clarke
		Coulson confirms these two NOTW stories have helped him consider what he would have been trying to talk to the Home Secretary about.
		Langdale jokes he has a “cunning plan” – he’s trying to work out what to deal with before 4.15 break. 10 minute break now
		“I don’t want anyone to think I’m shirking” jokes Saunders before the ten minute break.
		Back for the last hour of the #hackingtrial before a 3 day Easter break
	The Calum Best Story and the “Do his phone” emial
		Langdale turns to “matters relating to allegations… in respect of Calum Best… I anticipate this topic takes us up to suitable break.”
		Langdale says he will deal with matters dealing with Dan Evans and Clive Goodman after the break
		BREAKING: Coulson says his “Do His Phone” email relates to the billing details of a NOTW journalist, and not hacking Calum Best‘s phone.
		20/02/05 NOTW prints ’11 Minutes of Shame’ encounter between Calum Best and a woman: next week ‘Calum Confesses’
		Langdale goes through the timeline of Mulcaire’s tasking on Calum Best – no DDM “no evidence Calum Best’s phone was hacked”
		Feb-March 2006 show a tasking for Mulcaire from another NOTW journalist. Coulson had “no idea” of this activity.
		“Celebrity Love Island which he appeared on twice, which is unique” says Justice Saunders of Calum Best entry in Mulcaire notes with ‘Fiji’
		Mulcaire notebooks has details of phone number and PIN of another NOTW journalist – Mulcaire was hacking his phone it appears
		01/03/06 – 23/03/06 hacking of NOTW journalist by Mulcaire
		26/03/06 the Chris Tate NOTW piece about Laura Hogan sleeping with Calum Best around his dad’s funeral is cited.
		Another NOTW article later in 06 has a Chris Tate by-line and Laura Hogan talking about having Calum Best‘s child.
		“He may have mentioned it in a conference” says Coulson of the Hogan story.
		In August 2006 Coulson writes an email about Calum Best stories “scraping the bottom of the barrel”
		20/05/06 email between Coulson and another senior NOTW journo about Calum Best cited in this timeline: 21/05/06 Hogan talks of scan
		Langdale reminds jury that Calum Best is the son of George Best, and that we’ve already heard evidence from him in the #hackingtrial
		“Full time celebrity?” asks Saunders of describing Calum Best. “A lot of contact with the media” agrees Coulson: “I think that’s fair”
		Coulson talks about NOTW journalist “a friend but not very close at this stage” but started a relationship with one of his oldest friends
		Coulson says “we’ve become a lot closer since” of this NOTW journo. He had been recruited from another paper under Brooks’ editorship
		“He’s a people person” says Coulson: “people want to talk to him. A very friendly guy. Knew a lot of people. Had a lot of contacts”
		Coulson was “concerned” that “too much information of stories worked on at NOTW was being leaked”
		“There were people on the paper who suspected” this NOTW journo “was sharing too much information” says Coulson.
		“I was quite resistant to the idea of anyone working for me leaking stories” says Coulson: “but growing body of evidence” put by others.
		“Very reluctantly I approved a request for the billing data” of this NOTW journo says Coulson, about the general concern for leaks.
		Coulson explains how leaks were much more critical at NOTW “stories were lost… it would cause paranoia… very destructive”
		“It was a negative thing to be thinking about” says Coulson of leaks at NOTW: “but it was a reality on Sunday newspapers”
		Coulson speaks of the ‘tension’ between different journalists and departments at NOTW.
		Langdale goes back to the ‘agreed facts’ on Calum Best: a NOTW story about George Best cited.
		“We still have an appalling lack of kiss and tells” writes Coulson in email to desk heads: “Where are the new names?”
		There’s some mention of Opera Girls in this email: “Sounds very 18th century to me” jokes Justice Saunders.
		Coulson email to Kuttner about phones cited: he wasn’t certain if checking employees billing data was permissible.
		A request was made through the person in control of NI mobile phones: “I’ve never really understood the NOTW hub phones” says Coulson
		“I was very clear this was mobile phones, and not an internal landline” says Coulson of billing checks starting 29/04/06 running till 09/05
		Coulson doesn’t remember any “positive result” coming out of this check: he doesn’t remember any further conversation about this
		Email about Coronation Street actor cited by Langdale: senior NI journalist says “Coinicidence? I don’t believe it” on leaks
		20/05/06 email sequence about apparent tip offs to Calum Best about Laura Hogan coming from NOTW cited by Langdale.
		“You think Calum a leak?” asks Coulson. NOTW journo replies “Calum bragging he has mates in NOTW: Coulson replies “Do his phone”
		Evidence shows another NOTW journo was in contact with Calum Best‘s friend A D Phelan: Coulson: “his name hadn’t registered with me”
		Justice Saunders confirms document about journos billing “is not a contemporaneous document” from NOTW, but a police one
		Coulson says “do his phone” has nothing to do with Calum Best‘s one. Langdale says the Chris Tate email only came to light during trial
		“I’ve no doubt this wasn’t an instruction to hack anyone’s phone” says Coulson. “it’s been frustrating this email… took so long to emerge”
		“Just help me” says Justice Saunders: Coulson confirms this would be a “repeat of that instruction” to check journo’s billing data.
		“There is no evidence of billing data being checked after this date of 20th May” says Langdale. “It drifted away” says Coulson.
		“I didn’t have a massive enthusiasm for this” says Coulson, and no evidence of a leak every took place.
		Langdale cites two page spread in NOTW 21/05/06 exclusive by Chris Tate on scan of Calum Best‘s unborn child via Lorna Hogan
		Coulson says he doesn’t remember putting up Laura Hogan in a hotel to get the story of the baby: but emails say “I was aware then”
		10 am Tuesday morning: Justice Saunders reminds jury they know the evidence better than anyone and not to talk to anyone about case.

Note: All the defendants deny all the charges. The trial continues.

Related Articles
Stuart Kuttner Emails to Surrey Police over Milly Dowler
Kuttner Notes of Conversation with Goodman Just After his Arrest
Some of the Mysteries of Phone Hacking – Unlocked
Mulcaire Sanctioned by Spooks – Malign Influence of NI Lawyer on Goodmans Legal Team
Texts to Rebekah Brooks from Tony Blair on the Eve of her Arrest

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