This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/mark-hanna-former-news-international-employee-threatens-to-lift-lid-on-conversations-with-rebekah-brookes-during-hacking-trial-10487091.html

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Mark Hanna: Former News International employee threatens to lift lid on conversations with Rebekah Brookes during hacking trial Rebekah Brooks's ex-security man Mark Hanna threatens to blow whistle on what he overheard during hacking trial
(about 3 hours later)
Days before Rebekah Brooks returns to her old job as chief executive of Rupert Murdoch’s UK  print business, the company’s former director of security has promised to reveal a shock-laden account of  “conversations” and “confessions” he made in the dock at the Old Bailey during the phone hacking trial. Days before Rebekah Brooks returns to her old job as chief executive of Rupert Murdoch’s UK print business, the former director of security at News International has promised to reveal a shock-laden account of “confessions” he claims to have overheard and noted down while in the company of those who stood trial for phone hacking.
Mark Hanna, who was cleared along with Mrs Brooks and her husband Charlie, of involvement in a conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, posted an extraordinary YouTube video where he claimed the re-appointment of the former editor of the News of the World and the Sun meant “Mr Murdoch’s middle finger being shoved right in my face.” Mark Hanna posted an extraordinary YouTube video where he claimed the re-appointment of the former editor of the News of the World and The Sun meant “Mr Murdoch’s middle finger being shoved right in my face”.
A soldier before he joined News International’s security team, Mr Hanna had expected to be re-instated to his senior role when the jury cleared him last year. However in January he was made redundant by News UK, the rebranded NI. Mr Hanna, a former soldier, was cleared along with Ms Brooks and her husband Charlie of involvement in a conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. He had been accused of helping Mr and Ms Brooks to remove and conceal documents, computers and electronic equipment from their homes in Oxfordshire and at their London flat in Chelsea Harbour.
He is currently involved in legal proceedings against the Murdoch-owned company over the £30,000 he is reported to have been offered as part of his severance. Mr Hanna had expected to be reinstated to his senior role when the jury cleared him last year. But in January, he was made redundant by News UK, the rebranded News International (NI).
Mr Hanna promised to reveal what it was like working “in one of the most hated organisations in the UK, if not the world”. (Getty) Mr Hanna said the return of Mrs Brooks – who received £16m when she resigned from NI in 2011 – had left people “up in arms” and was “two fingers up to the nation and those that were victims of the company’s illegal activities.” "As time went on, more issues came to light, and again after reporting my concerns of potential illegal activity, which are classed as protected disclosures, I was told just to carry them out without regard to who it involved. This blasé attitude was never so relevant than today with the reinstatement of Rebekah Brooks.” (Getty) He is currently involved in legal proceedings against the Murdoch-owned company over the £30,000 he is reported to have been offered as part of his severance.
In a brief two minute video, he announced his intention to stand up to the “Murdochs and Brooks of this of world”  who “treat us all with contempt”. He said that despite “whistle blowing” his “numerous warnings of potential illegal activity” inside NI had been ignored. Mr Hanna said the return of Ms Brooks – who received around £10.8m when she resigned from NI in 2011, plus legal costs of around £6m – had left people “up in arms” and was “two fingers up to the nation and those that were victims of the company’s illegal activities”.
With News UK effectively reversing its post-hacking commercial narrative that it was a new company with new management, Mrs Brooks’ return, despite her closeness to Mr Murdoch, is being seen as a gamble by the global boss of News Corporation. In a two-minute video, he stated his intention to stand up to the “Murdochs and Brookses of this of world” who “treat us all with contempt”. He said despite “whistle-blowing”, his “numerous warnings of potential illegal activity” inside NI had been ignored.
Mr Hanna promised to reveal what it was like working “in one of the most hated organisations in the UK, if not the world”. This  may unnerve the senior ranks of News Corp who learned last week that the UK Crown Prosecution Service is currently examining a full file of evidence from Scotland Yard and has not ruled out charges of corporate criminal liability from being brought against the company. Ms Brooks’s return, despite her closeness to Mr Murdoch, is being seen as a gamble by the global boss of News Corp.
"As time went on, more issues came to light, and again after reporting my concerns of potential illegal activity, which are classed as protected disclosures, I was told just to carry them out without regard to who it involved. This blasé attitude was never so relevant than today with the reinstatement of Rebekah Brooks.” (Getty) During the lengthy proceedings at the Old Bailey, Mr Hanna was regularly seated behind the dock’s glass wall alongside Andy Coulson, Mr and Mrs Brooks and her former personal assistant, Cheryl Carter, and others. Only Coulson, from this group, was found guilty and jailed. Mr Hanna promised to reveal what it was like working “in one of the most hated organisations in the UK, if not the world”. (Getty) Mr Hanna promised to reveal what it was like working “in one of the most hated organisations in the UK, if not the world”. This may unnerve the senior ranks of News Corp, who learned last week that the UK Crown Prosecution Service is currently examining evidence from Scotland Yard and has not ruled out charges of corporate criminal liability from being brought against the company.
In his posted video,  Mr Hanna said “Having been extremely close to some of those who pulled the strings within the company and gaining their trust, as well as sitting there every day in the dock … conversations took place, notes were taken, and even confessions were made.” During the lengthy proceedings at the Old Bailey, Mr Hanna was regularly seated behind the dock’s glass wall alongside Andy Coulson, Mr and Ms Brooks, her former personal assistant, Cheryl Carter, and others. Only Coulson, from this group, was found guilty and jailed.
From the day he joined NI, he claimed “things were not right, from the dealing with intrusive surveillance to uncleared payments. Having always been law abiding and doing things by the book, I handed my concerns to the relevant management, but was always told to ignore things. As time went on, more issues came to light, and again after reporting my concerns of potential illegal activity, which are classed as protected disclosures, I was told just to carry them out without regard to who it involved. This blasé attitude was never so relevant than today with the reinstatement of Rebekah Brooks.” In his posted video, Mr Hanna said: “Having been extremely close to some of those who pulled the strings within the company and gaining their trust, as well as sitting there every day in the dock ... conversations took place, notes were taken, and even confessions were made.”
Mr Hanna  said: “I intend to tell you everything that I know, which I’m sure will shock everybody.” From the day he joined NI, he said, “things were not right, from the dealing with intrusive surveillance to uncleared payments”.
Three months ago at an employment tribunal in Croydon, Mr Hanna challenged the settlement he had been offered from News UK. After the hearing, he described how he was being treated as “wrong, immoral and unjust.” “Having always been law-abiding and doing things by the book, I handed my concerns to the relevant management, but was always told to ignore things.
Currently he is unemployed and living on state benefits. He is understood to have told friends that the fall-out from the hacking trial had effectively left him unemployable in the security industry. “As time went on, more issues came to light, and again after reporting my concerns of potential illegal activity, which are classed as protected disclosures, I was told just to carry them out without regard to who it involved. This blasé attitude was never so relevant than today with the reinstatement of Rebekah Brooks.”
News UK would make no formal comment on the contents of Mr Hanna’s YouTube video. However a company official confirmed that his legal case against his former employer was still on-going. Mr Hanna added: “I intend to tell you everything that I know, which I’m sure will shock everybody.”
During the hacking trial, Mr Hanna was accused of helping Mr and Mrs Brooks to remove and conceal documents, computers and electronic equipment from their homes in Oxfordshire and at their London flat in Chelsea Harbour. Three months ago, at an employment tribunal in Croydon, Mr Hanna challenged his settlement from News UK. After the hearing, he described the way he was being treated as “wrong, immoral and unjust”.
The jury rejected the crown’s case and found him not guilty. Currently unemployed and living on benefits, he is understood to have told friends that the fall-out from the hacking trial had left him unemployable in the security industry.
News UK would make no formal comment on the contents of Mr Hanna’s YouTube video. However, a company official confirmed that his legal case against his former employer was still ongoing.