Hacking Trial Live Tweets – 4 Mar

Tuesday 4 March 2014

Summary
Rebekah Brooks Defence continues
Brooks questioned by her Counsel Jonathan Laidlaw QC
Rebekah Brooks Cross Examined by other Defence Counsel
Brooks questioned by Jonathan Caplan QC QC – Counsel for Stuart Kuttner
Brooks questioned by David Spens QC – Counsel for Clive Goodman

Rebekah Brooks Defence continues
Brooks questioned by her Counsel Jonathan Laidlaw QC
Back at the #hackingtrial. Brief bit of legal argument before Brooks continues in witness box, questioned by her counsel Jonathan Laidlaw QC
We’ve arrived 04/07/11 – the day the Milly Dowler story broke. The jury shown the online report by Nick Davies.
Brooks saw it in the late afternoon: “I was out of the office… At the fertility clinic,” says Brooks of breaking story
Brooks’ Blackberry texts adduced from morning of 4th: she texts her cousin and her mother Deborah at 6 a.m.
Brooks spent the morning at TMS “a lot going on in the office” after handing over Harbottle and Lewis files
Brooks sends texts to her cousin and mother about meeting at fertility clinic on 04/07/11
Brooks emails Cheryl Carter that morning about clinic visit at 3.30pm the day the Dowler story broke.
Brooks emails her fertility doctor that morning: they had met socially that weekend with Ross, Charlie and Brooks at same event.
Greenberg emails Brooks at 4.38 pm on 04/07/11: the Guardian have just emailed Greenberg for a comment.
Brook says she saw the Dowler story on her Blackberry: read full story back in office.
“First of all I didn’t believe it,” says Brooks of the Milly Dowler story.
“The original story said NOTW had accessed Milly Dowler‘s phone, deleted voice mail messages…. it was pretty horrific,” says Brooks
“Simon and Will asked me if it was true,” says Brooks. “At this stage we didn’t know about police officer in Weeting leaking to Guardian”
“The police had been in building… they’d given us no visibility this was there,” says Brooks of Dowler story.
“There was certainly an element of us trying to find out from police whether this was correct,’ says Brooks of Dowler breaking story.
NI statement for the 6pm news is re-read in court” “we’ll be conducting our own inquiries and be fully co-operating with police”
“A growing band of lawyers…. was trying to get information from the police as to the veracity of this thing,” says Brooks of 04/07/11
“It was almost like a holding statement till we found out what had gone on,” says Brooks of NI statement
An email to Brooks talks of Tom Watson’s statement in Parliament about Milly Dowler.
Mark Lewis is quoted on Sky News “ridiculous, obscene… family aware of allegations while trial was ongoing”
“We couldn’t understand how Labour MPs had got the story that quickly” says Brooks “We were still scrabbling around try to find out about it
“It was all coming in at once, and we were still ringing the police asking whether it is true or not,” says Brooks.
The email adduced is from an MP to Charlie Brooks, seen before in evidence. Charlie forwards to Will Lewis about Dowler and Friends DVDs
Will Lewis replies that it’s “another attempted hit” by Tom Watson MP
Brooks: “We were there in NI with the police in the building regularly coming in for meetings, and we’re the only people who don’t know”
“We were constantly dealing with revelation through another media unit rather than the police telling us what they had,” says Brooks.
Brooks texts Sue Carroll, a close friend at the time, who was ill with cancer according to texts adduced by Laidlaw
“Gosh you’re so lovely to worry about me. Not sure if it’s true” Brooks texts; “It is the deletion of messages and False hope sparking fury”
“I know it took (police) months to confirm deletion wasn’t true, and the false hope situation,” says Brooks.
“We’re only dealing with what’s in the story…” says Brooks: “The blame is being unfairly put on NOTW deleting the voicemail”
Texts between Brooks and Piers Morgan cited around 7.30 that night and extends to next day
Morgan: “When it rains it pours…” Brooks: “Must have been Mulcaire Morgan: “You’ve got to get out of there fast. Fury building on internet
“Piers was telling me… he’s an avid… I was going to say twit… a tweeter,” says Brooks, jokingly
“It wasn’t a staffer. You’ve got to get out there fast” texted Morgan.
“You’ve got to get it out fast” Morgan text corrected. Brooks explains it means get it out as a statement.
“We’re taking the usual News Corp tin hat approach…” says Brooks. “You’re trending worldwide on twitter. Congrats.” texts Morgan
Tom Newton Dunn emails “incredibly objective reporting by our commercial rivals tonight” about Milly Dowler story.
Brooks explains that the BSkyB bid was subject to a competition ruling that Monday: “Tom Newton Dunn had read and watched everything”
“Not fit to have this deal,” Brooks says. “Don’t let the bastards get you down, Boss” writes Newton Dunn 10pm
“Batten down the hatches. Looks like they’re going to throw the kitchen sink at you,” says Newton Dunn about stopping the BSkyB bid
05/07/11 Brooks letter to Surrey Chief Constable cited, copied to Superintendent Ponting.
“I was astonished and shocked by these allegations which I’d not previously heard,” writes Brooks to Surrey Chief
Brooks says she’s writteb to Mark Lewis, who was looking after Dowler’s civil claim. Wants more info from Surrey police.
“The trial of Levi Bellfield had only concluded in the March or April 2011, it was a very live issue,” says Brooks of Milly Dowler.
Brooks writes to James Harding, editor of Times, about crime correspondent, “Can you find out from Sean how he knows pages 1 and 3 are true”
“We have zero visibility of the veracity of these allegation… this is proper old Labour, Guardian, BBC hit.” wrote Brooks on 05/07/11
Brooks email to Harding talks about Tom Watson’s tweet “before” the Dowler story broke: “Parliament seemed to be read to talk about story”
05/07/11 Brooks draft statement, sent to Charlie, shown to jury
“I didn’t sleep that night,” says Brooks of evening after Dowler story broke.
Three levels to this statement, Brooks explains: NI side, James Murdoch’s News Corp Europe side, and Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp side
That morning around noon a draft letter is passed between Brooks, Greenberg and Lewis, to be sent to the Dowler family
05/07/11 Sun journalist writes to Brooks “It is totally and utterly impossible for you to have awareness of this at NOTW”
“You’ve absolutely done nothing wrong. This is totally alien to your soul,” writes journalist to Brooks day after Milly Dowler story broke
05/07/11 Deborah Keegan emails around 5pm that evening: Hanna talking to Greenberg about personal security and Brooks team available
Brooks “I was getting quite a large influx, from the outside, rightly, from minor criticism to all out death threats. We had a bomb threat”
“I was the central figure for that.” says Brooks at “universal revulsion” at Dowler allegation.
Hanna emails Brooks about security “if we see media round the area… I’ll let you know” “Media concern and police concern” both mentioned
“In April,” Brooks explains: “there was a high level of concern I would be arrested and a dawn raid on the house”
“Because every arrest, and all details of investigation, were being leaked,” says Brooks: “If police came to arrest me I’d be photographed.”
Hanna is “talking about going back to the plan of April” says Brooks of this email and threats of arrest and media coverage
BREAKING: Blair emails Brooks “Let me know if there’s anything I can help you with. Thinking of you” Brooks “GB pals getting their own back”
That breaking email send by Blair day after Milly Dowler story broke
“Please don’t watch the news, mum, and be careful of strangers at the door or calls,” Brooks writes to her mother on 05/07/11
Another message from Brooks’ mother cited in court: not read out.
“Because I was the focus of everything, it was quite hard for her,” says Brooks of her mother coming down to Jubilee Barn that weekend.
Laidlaw illustrates “another issue”: Brooks writing to a woman called Rowena at Farrers: “one of the many legal firms,” says Brooks
“Cheryl Carter needs urgent legal advice about a business venture” says Brooks email to lawyer about a brand IP issue that week.
Brooks talks about Carter’s beauty brand “she had discovered… someone she had trusted let her down and tried to take it away from her”
Michael Gove texts Brooks 06/07/11 about a News International event: “Very keen to catch up… Don’t think Sarah and I can come to night”
“NI had hired a corporate box, and someone had to host it every night…. hospitality,” says Brooks of Gove text. “I was trying to cancel”
“Other people are coming to same conclusion during the firestorm” says Brooks of Gove’s cancellation. I
“Michael and I have been trying to found an Academy School in East London… Because of Milly Dowler story advertisers pulling out”
Newton Dunn writes to Brooks about the prime minister; “DC announcing one or several inquiries”
Texts between Kath Hinton, Blunkett SpAd and Brooks now adduced in court.
K Hinton writes “definitely some of this misogynist” Brooks: “Bloody intense… feeling like a sexist witchhunt at times.”
“I did think it was a bit sexist,” says Brooks: “But you couldn’t forget how horrible the allegation was, if true”
Gideon Wyn Davies writes to Brooks with “Good News”: credit card statements show you away during key periods of 2002
Various exotic locations named. Wynn Davies “I was quite jealous” Brooks replied “Wow. Those were the days”
Brooks explains that Gideon Wynn Davies – who sent good news message – was working with Joel Klein investigating for News Corp
Brooks explains that 2002 diary just said holiday: “Cheryl couldn’t remember… Ross couldn’t remember”
“In my own mind, back in April” says Brooks about the first thought of resignation: “if the police are going to arrest to CEO it’s over”
Brooks “It had been there as a possibility in my head since April…. it did happen during my editorship..one should probably resign anyway”
Brooks says she discussed her resignation first with Lewis and Greenberg, then with James and Rupert Murdoch.
“I was with James Murdoch and his team on the Monday evening, the 4th… I thought it was an inevitability of me leaving, Not their view”
“R Murdoch was away at a conference in Sun Valley. He was concerned I shouldn’t resign until I got there,” says Broosk. He arrives 10/07/11
07/07/11 The announcement of the closure of NOTW. Staff sent email by James Murdoch – last edition on 10/07/11
Brooks confirms that closure of NOTW had been a topic since “early June”
“Too toxic… and could save the bid for Sky,” reminds Justice Saunders of Greenberg plan for closure of NOTW in June 2011.
“It had been mooted before, but decided against,” says Brooks of NOTW closure. By the 6th they had confirmed Mulcaire hack of Dowler
“Problem we had was that Rupert was in a different time zone,” says Brooks. “I remember discussions about how to get everyone on conf call”
08/07/11 Plan B email cited. Brooks explains Plan A: “ANews Corp were brought in.. we reported to Joel Klein”
“Anyone connected with Harbottle and Lewis files should leave the company. That was the corporate view,” says Brooks of June 2011
Plan A was Brooks resigning and leaving the company “probably the right thing to do, should have done it, didn’t do it, asked not to do it”
“I was still waiting to Rupert Murdoch to arrive on the Sunday,” says Brooks of her indecision around resignation on 08/07/11
7.15 am on 08/07/11 Brooks writes to James Murdoch suggesting an investigation that will “slam Les and Colin” and “vindicate” her
“Even things we didn’t want leak were getting leaked,” Brooks explains of how info from this internal report could publicised.
“We will not be on trial by the media,” says Brooks email. Will Lewis replaces Brooks on Times Board. “I am ring fenced”
21.09 text from Morgan corrected by Laidlaw: “if it wasn’t a staffer. You’ve got to get THAT out there fast”
15 minute break
Back after the break at the #hackingtrial
Laidlaw turns to the relationship between Brooks and Carter: she’d worked with Carter for 16 years from Deputy Editor of NOTW 95-96
“She’s amazing, a friend, brilliant PA… we were a great combination. Cheryl ran my life. I trusted her” says Brooks of Carter
“She was incredibly open friendly open-book kind of person,” says Brooks says of Carter. “I’m probably the opposite”
Brooks: “In a newsroom it’s chaotic, you don’t have time to speak. Cheryl got things done… She’d speak to my mum. Never missed a birthday”
Brooks confirms that though her PAs organised meetings, they didn’t attend them
Brooks talks about Carter’s beauty column: “she was a working mum, looked after the family incredibly well, wanted to broaden horizons”
Brooks says Carter went to night college to learn beauty products when Brooks was editor of NOTW.
Laidlaw asks Brooks to ‘frank’ about Carter’s weakness: “she could be a bit scatty and forgetful… and had to put instructions in writing”
“I once said to Cheryl I had to go out of the office for an important meeting, and if Mr Murdoch called she was to tell him I went to MI5”
“In the old days you had to take your phone with you and put it in metal box” says Brooks of MI5: “I was worried he’d be angry”
Brooks says Carter said Rupert Murdoch was furious because she’d told him Brooks had gone to MFI – a bargain furniture store.
Brooks says she wouldn’t have conscripted Carter in cover up: “she wouldn’t do it not just because she’s scatty but because she’s true”
Brooks is asked about her use of notebooks starting in 1995/6 when Carter arrived. “I stopped being a reporter quite early on” in 1994
Brooks says that “if I interviewed a senior politician… I’d take a political or defence editor and they’d take the notes”
Brooks explains her note taking during news conference, and an artist pad she used for laying out the paper.
“There was always another paper to put out,” says Brooks of these disposable pad and notebooks she used as editor.
Brooks says she used word docs for budgets and proposals.
Brooks is asked by Laidlaw about her knowledge and use of archive for the “20 or so years you worked at News International”
Brooks says she didn’t distinguish between storage and archive: “anything that was bulky” went to the archive she tells the jury.
“We moved a lot, and I have moved home a lot,” says Brooks: “So we were constantly looking for places to store bulky material”
Brooks says “I never used the archive… my assumption… the archive was not somewhere where my personal sensitive would be stored”
“There was everything in there” says Brooks of the storage around the PAs desk. “That was the filing system, not to be stored somewhere else
“I had none,” says Brooks of various moves and archiving. She talks of a “problematic” move in 2009 to CEO role.
“Rupert Murdoch offered to have his office cut in half… He didn’t have a big office anyway…. I left it to Cheryl and Debs to make move”
“I had some involvement, but not in actually minutiae,” says Brooks of move. She says she had no knowledge of 7 boxes and storage.
Brooks says she had no discussion with Carter on 08/07/11 on withdrawal of notebooks from archive.
“In typical NOTW fashion the meeting was filled with secret cameras” says Brooks of townhall on 08/07/11 and meeting going on line
“Please do not worry about Y” Brooks writes to Witherow, Harding and Mohan on 08/07/11 and then talks about taking staff one
Mum texts Brooks “You were right I shouldn’t watch the news” on 08/07/11 planning to visit Brooks on the Saturday.
Brooks says there’s no truth in allegations that she asked Carter to lie about her movements: “On 8th I was in front of entire NOTW staff”
Brooks on 08/07/11 emails other editors trying to get jobs for NOTW at other titles. She emails Myler on same topic.
Brooks writes to head of business and head of marketing about keeping NOTW sports staff: “because the Sun was so strong in sport”
Ruth Gledhill at the Times emails Brooks “praying you will stay. Brooks replies “NOTW staff the priority for me…. trying to find them jobs
Brooks emails HR and Jane Viner over organising the ‘Town Hall’ meeting at 5pm for NOTW on 08/07/11
“A lot of anger at NOTW,” explains Brooks: “They had nothing to do with hacking… couldn’t understand why I was still in the job either. “
Brooks emails Greenberg about NOTW: “everyone is appalled the acts of a few affected so many talented journalists”
Brooks’ message to NOTW staff is read out by Laidlaw
Brooks addresses the media coverage of her in 08/07/11 “I think I became the focal point of everything, rightly so, as Chief Executive”
I’m not investigating myself, says statement from Brooks announcing Town Hall 2011: references MSC and planned public inquiries.
Just before 2pm Brooks’ mother writes to her worried about her security” “I have more security than the prime minister,” replies Brooks
Brooks receives an email around 6.26 from NOTW staffer after a Town Hall meeting Brooks describes as “incredibly heated… a lot of anger”
Friday night on 08/07/11 Cheryl writes to Brooks about her mother in law’s 80th birthday and a master butcher.
Brooks says she stayed late that Friday: “I knew I was seeing Rupert Murdoch on the Sunday…” went back to Oxfordshire than night.
Brooks says she was back in London the next Saturday 09/07/11 “not first thing… maybe towards lunchtime”
Another email exchange that Saturday about a football only paper for the iPad “if it saves jobs” Brooks: “try to keep fighting”
09/07/11 the day the last edition of NOTW prepared: “I left before they finished… I didn’t think I would be welcome. I left them to it.”
10pm Brooks writes to Myler: “Must have been the hardest day in your journalistic career by far… a very sad day for our newspaper history”
Later than night Greenberg emails Brooks about Sunday Telegraph article about a possible arrest. Brooks asks if front page.
Sunday Telegraph says arrest in few days. Greenberg says “not according to Barney (Radcliffe)…. (Mark) Ponting going away”
“if we speak to Telegraph and get it changed,” replies Brooks to Greenberg article about her imminent arrest.
Of last day of NOTW Brooks: “lots of other things going on in term of the Sky Bid…. fallout from the inquiries that had been announced”
Brooks says she returned to Jubilee Barn that evening: her mum was waiting
On Sunday 10/07/11 Brooks had a conference call with James Murdoch – “he didn’t live that far from me in Oxfordshire”
“The plan was to have lunch with him and Matthew Anderson” Brooks says of James Murdoch about “the ongoing situation”
A call came from Rupert Murdoch saying he’d landed. Brooks made her way to London to meet him
Brooks says it took 25 minutes to get to James Murdoch’s house in Oxfordshire that Sunday: Charlie was driving.
Brooks says Cheryl Carter went to Jubilee Barn on 10/07/11 but Brooks didn’t meet her: “I asked her to look after mum”
“My mum was in a very anxious state that weekend,” says Brooks: “I couldn’t be with her. I had to be there for final day of NOTW”
“I had to meet Rupert Murdoch in London, and do this conference call,” says Brooks. Cheryl came to Oxfordshire to look after her mum
Brooks says it wasn’t unusual for Carter to stay with her mum “occasionally” and they’d talk on a daily basis.
Brooks says there’s no question of her asking Cheryl to bring stuff to Oxfordshire.
“Rupert Murdoch had landed earlier than I thought, and he was waiting for me,” says Brooks. She left at 4 to meet him around 6pm
“It was written he was coming into London, media outside his London house,” says Brooks of publicity over the Murdoch meeting on 10/07/11
BREAKING Brooks says she didn’t resign the day of the last edition of NOTW because Rupert Murdoch asked her not to
Brooks receives a text message from friend “Good luck with KRM”: discussions whether to launch Sun on Sunday immediately to save costs.
11.30 pm text to Brooks from her mother: “Watched you both on TV… So proud. Showed you helping journalists up too”
“On film a female journalist is knocked over and I helped her up,” says Brooks of media scrum around her meeting with Murdoch.
Back after lunch in Court 12 of the Old Bailey with Brooks in the witness box: about to move onto Count 7 and the missing items.
11/07/11 Brooks’ final week at News International. She stayed in London that Sunday.
11/07/11 Email to Les Hinton: “Can you call me when you’re up. I had quite a conversation last night with the boss about my future”
Other emails talk about hiring staff into other titles and a new newsroom to explore other options.
3pm 11/07/11 Brooks’ mother writes to her about going back to Oxfordshire that day: “Don’t read the papers or watch TV” says Brooks
4pm Monday: Brooks says she discussed “various options” with Murdoch. “Completely exhausted… not sleeping… James Murdoch sent me home”
Brooks writes to James 15.46 about last NOTW sales figures: “What are you doing on email” says James. She was told to rest and get sleep
11/07/11 email mentions Charlie “confiscation” – Brooks says this relates to confiscating her Blackberry
Justice Saunders asks whether this call from Blair related to Plan B. Brooks says Blair’s proposal was more “robust… independent”
“I took Les’ advice and took a sleeping pill,’ says email on the Tuesday morning. Brooks says she was told to stay at home.
Later that 12/07/11 Brooks emails several people including Pannuccio: “need to crack on with 7 day Sun plans” KRM focused on Sky issue
12/07/11 email at 12.09 Brooks writes to Will Lewis: coming in the next morning
Brooks explains the “leave of absence”: Murdoch didn’t want her to resign the Sunday but “impossible to carry on position as CEO”
“I was the focus point and lightning rod for all that was going on… and I was exhausted. Wasn’t even functioning properly” Brooks say
Matthew Anderson emails the next morning at 7.47 about “redraft… key points. Leave of absence to leave police to do work”
“I am telling boss,” says Brooks of Murdoch; “I can’t do leave of absence until after Select Committee.”
“In the middle of all this,” says Brooks “I was summoned in front of Parliament… to which I agreed to go to.”
“At first it was thought I could just go, and not Rupert and James,” says Brooks of DCMS committee meeting scheduled the next week.
“The thinking was that I should face parliament and resign afterwards,” says Brooks of DCMS appearance (the following Tuesday 19th July)
Wednesday email 10.25 am Brooks writes to various NI execs and Daniel Tench at Olswang – copied to Charlie Brooks and Carter
“At this stage the plan was just for me to go to DCMS,” says Brooks: “They wanted to do a rehearsal…. we needed a venue… Enstone Manor”
Brooks was planning to rehearse from Friday to Monday with “about 20 people” for the DCMS committee on the 19/07/11
Brooks is asked about Cheryl Carter at this point: “she was very upset,” she replied. “It was clear by now I would be going.”
Brooks says: “The leave of absence changed to resignation. I was still organising my move from TMS to another office.”
Brooks “At some point Will Lewis or Simon Greenberg said to me… police wanted to talk to me before I went in front of select committee”
“I was given some options how to talk to the police” explains Brooks of advice from lawyers at Burton Copeland and Will Lewis
14/07/11 Brooks says the decision to resign was made that day. Jane Viner sends email about arrangements in respect of the office.
“There was a debate about what position I should be in when I faced parliament,” says Brooks. Some thought better in situ, some if resigned
“The leave of absence turned into a resignation that afternoon.” says Brooks. Jury shown a draft of resignation statement and her thoughts
“I have given James and Rupert Murdoch my resignation… this time it has been accepted.” shows draft resignation on 14/07/11
That evening Brooks emails Will Lewis who says “call Barney”
“My view was the police should be told as soon as possible and not just see it as an announcement,’ says Brooks.
15/07/11 Brooks’ resignation publicly announced. She was at work – had been there pretty late on the 14th “redrafting my message a lot”
In the morning “I was talking to lawyer, corporate affairs and James and Rupert Murdoch. They’d been summoned to attend by compulsion”
“In the end it was decided… better if they attended together, and I on my own as ex CEO,” says Brooks of DCMS hearing.
Brooks then left to say goodbye to NI staff. She was with Witherow when call says “Will Lewis and James Murdoch want to see me urgently”
Lewis and J Murdoch “were in my office waiting for me”. Lewis: “The situation has changed. Police want you out of the building immediately
“If you don’t leave immediate they’re going to send the Pandas round” said Lewis. “You’ve got to be out of the building by mid-day”
Brooks wanted to know what changed. Lewis and J Murdoch didn’t know but had to escort her out of the building. Blackberry disabled.
“I left everything in the office,” says Brooks of the rest of her computers.
Laidlaw talks about the computers sealed in Brooks’ office: contents later analysed. Documents dated 14/07/11 to 02/06/11 found on it.
Computer access shows Brooks email account used throughout that week in July 2011
Brooks then left for the weekend at Enstone to prepare for DCMS.
“I’d been given three options” she says of “talking to the police” that weekend. “Friday’s events had changed everything…”
“By then we had agreed I would go to a police station at 12 o’clock,” says Brooks for that coming Sunday.
“The lawyer who was acting for me… had been acting for company… at Burton Copeland, had continued to write to the police, from April”
“By the Friday the legal team were discussing with the police to be interviewed at best as witness at worst under caution” says Brooks
“Ian Burton from Burton Copeland… was going to come with me on the Sunday,” says Brooks. It didn’t happen after building getting sealed.
Brooks was told “she was not allowed” to have Ian Burton as her lawyer “because the police had interviewed him under caution”
After that Brooks had to have new lawyers. Met with Kingsley Napley on the Saturday 16/07/11
Brooks says she never left Enstone Manor that weekend, or returned to Jubilee Barn.
“Very little” says Brooks of contact with Mark Hanna over this weekend. “I obviously saw Mr Hanna on Saturday at Enstone”
Brooks said she told security detail “as little as possible” about her movements that Sunday.
“I didn’t want anyone to know which police station” says Brooks about not telling security: “Very concerned about lasting image”
“News also told me I couldn’t have any their people for the rehearsal,” explains Brooks. “I was allowed to have some MSC people”
Brooks says the discussion about which police station carried on that Saturday: “in the end narrowed down to… Belgravia and Lewisham”
“I chose Lewisham,’ says Brooks. “You were given an option?” ask Justice Saunders.
“Because I’d only just met my lawyer, I planned to see my lawyers on the Sunday morning,” says Brooks; “maybe an hour with them?”
Brooks said Paul Edwards drove her and Charlie down to London that Sunday. She knew about the “back up car”
BREAKING: Brooks nothing was “got rid of” that weekend she was arrested.
Brooks is asked about “Charlie’s Bags” and when “you first became aware of anything to do with that topic”
Brooks says there had been no discussion with Charlie about his bags.
BREAKING: Brooks says the first time she heard about Charlie’s Bags being missing was on the Monday after Kingsley Napley.
Two lawyers accompanied Brook during her arrest at Lewisham 17/07/11 she was arrested as she got out of the car
“It was on the cards,” Brooks says of her arrest. Spent most the rest of the day at the police station.
“There were quite a few hours in the cell beforehand.” says Brooks of arrest: “I was there for twelve and half hours”
Brooks is driven back to Thames Quay: Charlie “in a bit of state,’ says Brooks: “Slightly worse for wear” with red wine “2 sheets to wind”
“He’d been waiting for 12 hours… he poured me a large glass of red wine,” says Brooks of Charlie.
“I seem to remember him telling me a bit about the search,” says Brooks. “The police had gone through serial packets.”
“He been watching the golf. One of the police officers told him to take his feet off the bed,” says Brooks of Charlie’s account
One of the laptops confiscated then had the letter to Coulson on it. Teh Brooks’ went to bed late that night around 3 a.m. says Brooks
Brooks says they weren’t at Kingsley Napley for long that Monday morning: “supposed to be rehearsing for Parliament.” But exhausted
Brooks says she didn’t hear much at all about Charlie’s Bags. “Nothing registered with me…. I was in my own world… facing Parliament”
Laidlaw references CCTV of Brooks returning with Charlie to Thames Quay: “Charlie losing things wasn’t anything that would alert me…”
“I do remember some confusion,” says Brooks: “I just wanted to go to bed,” says Brooks about return to Thames Quay in Monday morning
Brooks swiped herself into Flat: “I haven’t eaten for quite a while… probably since before police station… then went straight to bed”
“I remember sleeping…. a good couple of hours sleep,” says Brooks of that day.
“I wake up and I know I have to get ready for select committee,” says Brooks. “That’s when I see Charlie who is quite agitated.”
“That’s when he tells me… late afternoon..” says Brooks: “he’d given his bags to security and there had been a mix up over them.”
“It sounded like a very odd story,” says Brooks: “He’d hidden his rather large porn collection. I was quite exasperated.”
“He hidden the bags. And now there was a chance he would be arrested. Sounds like a monumental cock-up” says Brooks.
“I know how important his horse business and novel is” Brooks says it was the “final straw’ in rather “cataclysmic few days”
Brooks says none of the computers in Charlie’s bags were hers. No truth in allegations of cover-up, says Brooks.
Laidlaw now turns to the files around the PAs area in Brooks’ office. She is asked about her memory of movement of property.
Brooks says she thinks the police went into her sealed office. There was a walk in cupboard where she could get changed.
“Cheryl stayed working at NI helping my successor” says Brooks. Made redundant a couple of weeks later. They went out for pub supper in Oxon
Brooks says Cheryl removed “anything personal to me” from the outer office: “everything you’ve seen on those filing lists”
Brooks thinks Carter returned that 8 or 9 crates three weeks after her resignation
Brooks says she put crates in an old barn in Oxfordshire. “Cheryl talked me through what was in the boxes” she says.
Brooks says these 8 or 9 crates stay in barn until Brooks gets her London office in September 2011: part of her severance package.
Brooks says she had a “sort through” of those 8 crates “I had no idea how long I’m going to be in that London office,” she says
“More personal stuff like photo stay at the barn. Work stuff, diaries, letters” all go to office in Marylebone.
January 2012 Cheryl Carter is arrested: in November before first interviewed by police.
“The solicitors, Kingsley Napley, come and take away the material from new office,” Brooks says of her office property in 2012
Laidlaw addresses the ‘missing devices’ schedule: a number of blackberrys, iPhones and iPads missing.
Brooks says she knows nothing of serial number or contracts for these devices. She was “very attached” to her Blackberry, she says.
Brooks says her Blackberry upgraded “quite a few times… they broke, a new model would come out, usual wear and tear if u use all the time”
Brooks says she went through 4 or 5 Blackberry’s a year
On iPhone says she was given them on “more than one occasion” during a migration to Apple products at News International
“I was encouraged by our team to swap to an iPhone, which I didn’t want to do at that time” says Brooks: “But was keen to get papers on aps”
“The head of IT would given me an iPhone with the ap downloaded… the first was the Times…. but we were developing them into ap sphere”
Brooks talks about “a race to get Times ap up and running” for launch of iPad in 2010: “we had slight advantage because working with WSJ”
“We didn’t have a formal system as such,” says Brooks of registering iPhones and iPads. “We had a lot of iPads with the developers”
“When we first got iPads to develop on, Apple insisted they were chained to desk. Quite cloak and dagger,’ says Brooks.
“I didn’t like it,” says Brooks of trying to work the iPhone. “Didn’t get on with it…. Kept with my Blackberry.”
“I found the iPad really good for emails…. I think 2 versions came out when I was CEO. And I had it synched to email system” says Brooks
Brooks says “asset management” of devices “rings a vague bell”: she remembers speaking to CFO about “lack of quality of register”
“I do remember bringing it up: ‘How many iPads have we actually got her'” says Brooks of number of devices in NI
“To get the newspapers into a digital forum was the big goal,” says Brooks of NI at that time.
Brooks addresses the police raid on 13/03/12 of Jubilee Barn: “I remember the nanny shouting at me… “
“Scarlett was born on 25th Jan… she was 5 or 6 years old by then. I was half awake trying to feed her,” says Brooks.
“I went downstairs to stop police banging on the door, to alarm Scarlett… they ran past me and were shouting for Charlie.” says Brooks
“They went upstairs and arrested Charlie… it was completely surreal. I remember the time because of feeding thing. It was quarter to five”
Brooks explains she was rebailed to the Friday just before Charlie’s arrest.
“I knew it wouldn’t be long before story of dawn raid would be on the news,” says Brooks. “I put Sky News on when the searches were on”
“As it happened it didn’t leak till Charlie and I were taken to different police stations,” says Brooks of her arrest in 2012.
“In the confusion of trying to work out why they arrested Charlie, I went upstairs but they wouldn’t let me talk to him,” says Brooks
“Charlie was pretty shaken by the prospect of his mum being raided… there was quite an emotional conversation about him wanting to call”
“I went across with the police so I could reassure her and let her know it was fine,” says Brooks of briefing Charlie’s 80 year old mother
“Charlie hated London anyway and we moved back to the country as soon as I left work,” says Brooks of renting out Thames Quay flat.
Brooks explains why, during a number of police interviews, she remained silent on legal advice, and provided prepared statements.
“I think I’m done”, says Laidlaw. Ten minute break.
Rebekah Brooks Cross Examined by other Defence Counsel
Brooks questioned by Jonathan Caplan QC QC – Counsel for Stuart Kuttner
We’re now onto cross examination of Brooks – starting with defence counsel.
Langdale for Coulson has no questions. Jonathan Caplan QC for Kuttner has a few questions for Brooks.
Brooks is asked if she knew Kuttner was trained in 1950s: “I knew he’d been in Fleet Street forever”
Previous career in Evening News etc. cited. Brooks says she’s know Kuttner since 1990 “mutual respect for each other…”
“He’s more than old enough to be your father,” says Caplan. “Please let’s not go there,” says Justice Saunders.
Brooks agrees the role of the managing editor is adminstrative, but what goes into the paper is the responsibility of editor, deputy etc.
Brooks is asked by Caplan about PCC editor’s code: Brooks never sat on committee. Patsy Jones had, assisted by Kuttner.
Brooks confirms that Kuttner would contact the PCC pre publication to seek advice “if a story was complicated”
Post publication Kuttner would deal with complaints, agrees Brooks
Email to Miskiw sent by Brooks 18/04/91 shown to jury about “Sophie”: “our entrapment and subterfuge has to be justified 110%”
That email is copied to Kuttner and Coulson emphasising the editor’s code of practice after Sophie Wessex Fake Sheikh story.
Brooks agrees that email was sent to Kuttner to assure him she would abide by Editor’s code while she was editor of NOTW.
Caplan cross examines Brooks on the public interest code in newspapers. Brooks says broadcast has a different regulator
Caplan asks: “Whether or not newspapers decide something is in the public interest that is the decision of the editor”: Brooks says yes.
Brooks asked about “widespread use” of Private Investigators in late 90s early 200s.
Brooks is asked whether she remembers “fair opportunity” to reply in editors code. She says it’s number 2 or 3
Caplan says that all reasonable methods to locate someone are used to enact this “right of reply”. PIs would help trace people
Brooks questioned by David Spens QC – Counsel for Clive Goodman
David Spens QC has some questions on behalf of Clive Goodman.
Brooks is asked about Goodman’s time as a reporter and her evidence he “wouldn’t attend conferences” at NOTW
Brooks gave that evidence when she was looking at NOTW organisational chart: Spens asks for the Count One bundle but it’s gone.
Brooks is given the chart of NOTW.
Spens goes to the News and Investigations sections – including Royal and Diary editor: NOTW organisational chart April 2001.
Brooks says she tried to put together this chart “from memory”: Caplan says “your memory is incorrect… Goodman did work for news desk”
Goodman worked to the then News Editor. We did go to conference as a Royal Editor because his senior was “uncertain over Royal stories”
“I did deal with Clive when he was royal editor. It could be he attended conferences,” says Brooks.
In 2001 Brooks promoted Goodman to deputy editor, says Spens. Brooks: “Clive would know his own…”
Brooks agrees Goodman continued to be by-lined: “He became part of editorial set up and budget.” says Spens. Brooks doesn’t recall
Caplan on Goodman: “I’m suggesting he became part of the editorial management budget” – a budget document from 2001 adduced.
“NB Clive Goodman accommodated in this editorial budget” says NOTW internal document from 2001: “He came to conference in own right”
“I’m sure he did come to conference,” says Brooks of Goodman. “But I don’t remember it.”
Spens (sorry not Caplan) talks about how Brooks did promote Goodman, and both worked together on big NOTW scoop
Brooks agrees Goodman was no trouble to her when he was at NOTW and they got on well.
Spens talks of meeting with Sir Michael Peate who became secretary to Prince of Wales in 2002.
Spens suggests to Brooks that between August 2002 to 12/01/03 she was invited with Goodman to a meeting with Peate at St James’ Palace
“I remember a meeting, but don’t remember much about it,” says Brooks of Sir Michael Peate, “I think I attended one with Clive.”
Spens suggests the meeting was about the portray of Camilla Parker Bowles in the NOTW: “It wouldn’t surprise me,” says Brooks.
Brooks is asked about the practice of “source boosting…. big up their sources”. “I wouldn’t say practice,” says Brooks.
“Journalists might get a tip off from their neighbour and say it was from a great source,” agrees Brooks: “a bit of news room bravado”
“Some journalists wouldn’t need to do that,” says Brooks of source boosting. “They had amazing contacts.”
Brooks: “If they had a tip from a PR… that’s not a sustainable bravado in a news room, but they could exaggerate their sources”
“Not a practice I was aware of,” says Brooks of source boosting. She relates a tip from early book club about Sophie Rees Jones.
Email from Sun journalist to Brooks from 24/11/08 shown to jury again asking for approval of payments and then for prison contact exclusive
Usually the prison officer would receive £5k but on this occasion is offered £4k. Spens goes through admissions on this.
The MSC has confirmed this payment was made by BACs to a journalist: “I didn’t know who… prison contact was,” says Brooks.
“I still don’t know who the source was, and I don’t know why that source was confidential,” says Brooks.
“He says one thing and does another,’ points out Spens. “I took it on face value,’ says Brooks.
14/09/06 meeting with Goodman now explored by David Spens QC, counsel for Goodman, in cross examination with Brooks.
This is a legal note of the meeting with the Detective Super Surtees: sent onto Coulson the following day.
Spens focuses on point NO 9 “at this stage they don’t want to widen to other NOTW journos… Clive is only in cos he was doing it himself”
“‘Doing it’means physically hacking” Spens asserts. Brooks agrees.
Brooks agrees the police were “looking for actual connections between individuals working at NOTW and hacking voicemails”
“I think they said they would widen it if they found that evidence,” says Brooks of legal note.
Brooks says the ‘tasking’ element only came up in reference to the hacking of her own phone by Mulcaire.
Brooks repeats that before she went to see Detective Superintendent Surtees she knew Mulcaire worked for NOTW
“At the time there wasn’t any concern relating to the fact Glenn Mulcaire was a working detective at NOTW,’ says Brooks.
No mention says Brooks to any reference to any other News Editors who have now pleaded guilty to Count One.
Brooks says Yates in charge but she never heard that the original investigation was “superficial”: break till 10 am

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

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