Hacking Trial Live Tweets – 25 June

Links: The Trial So Far | Full Trial Summary | Indexed Evidence | Breaking News

Wednesday 25 June 2014

Summary
	The Trial Ends
		The Jury continue to consider verdicts on Counts 2 and 3
		No verdict on Counts 2 and 3
		The Trial Ends – Mr Justice Saunders thanks the Jury
	Peter Jukes describes some of the background to the Hacking Trial
		Aspects of the Hacking Trial that could not be reported

The Trial Ends
	The Jury continue to consider verdicts on Counts 2 and 3
		Back to Old Bailey for continuing #hackingtrial Regina v Coulson and Others: a word on contempt follows.
		Double standards quite shocking: jump on anything prejudicial about defendants – and yet mock prosecution: contempt is a double-edged sword
		After interesting legal arguments (reportable after verdicts) the #hackingtrial jury are sworn in again at Court 12 of the Old Bailey
		Justice Saunders tells the jury about the “wave of publicity… I regret that… You must ignore entirely anything you heard”
		“It does not matter who said it, how important they are, you ignore it entirely” Saunders tells jury: “I trust you implicitly on that”
	No verdict on Counts 2 and 3
		Court 12 recalled at the Old Bailey #hackingtrial
		BREAKING; #hackingtrial jury not able to bring in a verdict on Coulson Goodman Counts 2 & 3 – jury discharged: decision about retrial Monday
		BREAKING – the 8 month #hackingtrial officially finished – they deliberated for 43 hours 52 minutes.
		The CPS will consider what to do with charging on discharged counts
	The Trial Ends – Mr Justice Saunders thanks the Jury
		“The country owes you a great debt of gratitude” says Saunders to jury, praising them for their fortitude and judgement
		“The public were entitled to know who was criminally responsible at NOTW’ says Saunders, thanking jury
		“You are a wonderful example of a jury working as a unit” says Saunders, exempting the jury from any future jury service, if they want
		Jury can attend the submissions over sentencing next
		“Go and continue the rest of your lives, with my thanks, the court’s thanks, and the country’s thanks” says Saunders to #hackingtrial jury
Peter Jukes describes some of the background to the Hacking Trial
	Aspects of the Hacking Trial that could not be reported
		Now the trial is over – the hidden BREAKINGS can come from legal arguments, previously unreportable
		BREAKING: Justice Saunders wrote to Prime Minister Cameron for an explanation of his statements yesterday, before trial was over.
		This morning Counsel for Langdale and Goodman moved to dismiss the hackingtrial case because of statements by the Prime Minister
		BREAKING: Saunders threw out the motion to dismiss trial because of prejudicial statements by politicians – the jury were savvy enough
		Prosecutor Edis pointed out that Brooks’ counsel has scoured remote places on the internet to prove prejudicial coverage – but fair trial
		I can now report that huge ring binders of prejudicial tweets were weekly delivered to the judge by Brooks’ defence team.
		There are so many legal arguments now reportable, I could fill my timeline for another 6 months.
		The jury were allowed to read the Brooks love letter in its entirety. Privacy arguments prevented release to press.
		Throughout this trial the defendants have relied on Articles 6 and 8 of ECHR to trump Article 10 – free speech.
		BREAKING: the issues that almost collapsed #hackingtrial several times revealed in my new book ‘BEYOND CONTEMPT’ http://www.hackingtrial.com
		The trial almost collapsed when a CD with over 80 thousand emails from News Corp discovered by police two months ago
		The unfitness of Edmondson and a juror, caused huge problems: Goodman’s heart condition also almost collapsed the trial.
		At one point Justice Saunders asked if there were facilities for heart problems in prison
		But one of the main planks of Brooks’ defence was that she couldn’t receive a fair trial with such a prejudicial environment.
		The thrust of Coulson’s defence was trying to exclude email evidence – and an appeal court hearing over phone interception
		There are two years worth of pretrial hearings and arguments behind this amazing case – and a third of hackingtrial was legal argument
		An article written by Michael Wolff for GQ has been referred to the high court by the Attorney General.
		BREAKING: as Coulson’s counsel called the Attorney General to warn the PM from comment, the AG was with Cameron – apology already filmed
		Many long breaks in the hackingtrial were actually legal argument: Laidlaw argued for 2 days Brooks couldn’t get fair trial because of press
		Fascinating legals argument about calling Piers Morgan: defence wanted his statement, but not to call because ‘polarising figure’
		As I said, I could spend 3 months retweeting legal argument – but it will all be in my book.
		BREAKING: Most days at #hackingtrial began with complaint from defence counsel “My Lord, there’s been a tweet” – fortunately not me
		Only one tweet out of of 24,000 did I have to delete because mentioned in court. The other…. “Mr Jukes” was mentioned in court. I ran…
		Got to the court. Saunders joked at my miraculous appearance. “I didn’t know I had such power” I asked which tweet…
		The court amicus told me it was someone else’s. I asked “why mention me?”: He smiled: “Everyone follows you Peter”
		So BEYOND CONTEMPT: The Inside Story of the Phone Hacking trial will reveal all this – and much much more http://www.hackingtrial.com
		At one point there were three separate police investigations into allegations a juror might be suborned – turned out to be false.
		BREAKING; the public cost of the trial was NOT £100m: Weeting £20m and the court plus prosecution less than £2m
		The private costs to News Corp for 6 private defences has not been revealed – but defence one team more per hour than prosecution per day
		So the £100 million estimate for hackingtrial plus police by various pundits is at least 75% dominated by corporate money
		One of the best lines from legal arguments, described as “like trench warfare” by Edis: “Life is too short, and this trial too long”
		Next week there will be submissions over sentencing, and then mitigation pleas from six convictions.
		Weeting cost £20m: 5,500 phone hacking victims had to be traced: of the 8 indictments there were 6 convictions – who caused this cost?
		Privately paid for criminal defence very rare: SIX unprecedented: at least £10m on court barristers, much more on solicitors. #hackingtrial
		Yesterday Justice Saunders said he didn’t know if Cameron’s contemptuous intervention out of “ignorance” or “deliberate” – full ruling soon
		Title BEYOND CONTEMPT does not refer to #hackingtrial personalities: Brooks, Carter & Goodman all valued my tweets http://www.hackingtrial.com
		Book will also reveal Brooks’ ‘abuse of process’ case. Counsel argued she was victimised by police, CPS, DCMS and BBC http://www.hackingtrial.com
		How the Prime Minister nearly derailed the Hacking Trial http://wp.me/p1YHIt-Ki
		Of course, my book ended up being the subject of legal argument too at #hackingtrial – defence lawyers over everything
		As a defence lawyer said “I don’t want to be visiting you in Wandsworth, Peter” Now finally free and Beyond Contempt. http://www.hackingtrial.com
		BEYOND CONTEMPT: the Inside Story of the Phone Hacking Trial – Book Announcement http://wp.me/p1YHIt-Iv via @peterjukes
		Saunders: “The press in court have been extremely responsible….but when politicians regard it as open season…” http://wp.me/p1YHIt-Ki
		Imagine if the #hackingtrial had collapsed because of the PMs premature remarks. https://fothom.wordpress.com/2014/06/25/how-the-prime-minister-nearly-derailed-the-hacking-trial/ …
		“My Lord, there’s been a tweet”;: Phone-hacking blogger Peter Jukes reveals how Twitter disrupted trial on most days http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/my-lord-theres-been-tweet-phone-hacking-blogger-peter-jukes-reveals-how-twitter-disrupted-trial-most …
		UPDATED: Edis takes a swipe at the Sun and Brooks team’s “indefatigable searches of remote parts of the internet” https://fothom.wordpress.com/2014/06/25/how-the-prime-minister-nearly-derailed-the-hacking-trial/ …
		One unexpected boon of last 2 busy days (flat exchange coincided with verdicts) – I have the last #gameofthrones episode yet to watch!
		One more revelation in ‘Beyond Contempt’ coming up http://www.hackingtrial.com
		I’ll reveal how so called ‘free speech’ advocates were constantly referring other journalists to @AGO_UK for contempt http://www.hackingtrial.com
		CPS on “A Culture of Invading Privacy” – and the Real Police Costs http://wp.me/p1YHIt-KB
		Three years ago Rupert Murdoch flew into London to apologise to the Dowler family: now he flies in to face police over corporate charges
		Les Hinton, Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson have already been interviewed under caution for corporate charges
		In other embargoed news: Tom Crone arrested for a second time last November
		Embargoed during the trial: NGN lawyer Tom Crone arrested for a second time on new charges last November
		Press Gazette confirmed Crone’s second arrest last November – but removed article because of hacking trial

Related Articles
The Route to Verdict: Justice Saunders Directions to the Hacking Trial Jury
Those Rogue Reporter Emails
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

Previous Posts
Hacking Trial Live Tweets – 10 Jun
Hacking Trial Live Tweets – 11 Jun
Hacking Trial Live Tweets – 24 Jun

Links: The Trial So Far | Full Trial Summary | Indexed Evidence | Breaking News