Phone-hacking trial: three ex-News of the World staff plead guilty
Source: The Guardian
Phone-hacking trial: three ex-News of the World staff plead guilty
Prosecution reveals news editors admitted charges as it outlines case against Rebekah Brooks, Andy Coulson and others
Three former News of the World employees have pleaded guilty to phone hacking charges, an Old Bailey jury was told this afternoon, as part of the opening of the trial of Rebekah Brooks, Andy Coulson, Brooks's husband and four other former employees of the now closed Sunday newspaper.
The crown prosecutor revealed that the individuals had already pleaded guilty at an earlier stage in proceedings, as he outlined to the court that News of the World was at the centre of three criminal conspiracies dating back to the year 2000, involving the two former editors.
Andrew Edis QC said that those pleading guilty were former News of the World news editors Neville Thurlbeck, Greg Miskiw and James Weatherup. The court also heard that the private investigator contracted by the newspaper to undertake the alleged hacking, Glenn Mulcaire, had pleaded guilty.
But the prosecuting counsel told the jury that journalism was not on trial. "There is no justification of any kind for journalists for getting involved in phone hacking. That is an intrusion into people's privacy which is against the law," Edis said. "The prosecution says that journalists are no more entitled to break the law than anyone else," he added.
Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/oct/30/phone-hacking-trial-news-of-world-staff
muriel_volestrangler
(101,295 posts)It makes the "I didn't know this was going on" claims from Brooks and Coulson far harder to believe. Their defence will have to be "we were totally incompetent as managers".
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)included a promise of leniency if they rolled on Brooks, etc. They're looking for the big fish here and I hope they get the book thrown at them.
Stuart G
(38,414 posts)Left Coast2020
(2,397 posts)Then Rodger Ailes, Murdoch would be conspirators. We can only hope.
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)Think the USA would be in a better place today if they didn't steal that election.