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| Former Murdoch Aides Appear in Court | |
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| LONDON — Two of the most senior former executives at newspapers owned by Rupert Murdoch, both close at one time to Prime Minister David Cameron, arrived at the Old Bailey courthouse in central London on Wednesday to face charges relating to the phone hacking scandal convulsing parts of the British press. | |
| Five other journalists and a private investigator also arrived for procedural hearings, the Press Association news agency said. | |
| For months, police have been pursuing a variety of investigations of scores of journalists and managers into allegations including phone hacking, conspiring conspiracy to hide evidence and corrupting public officials. | For months, police have been pursuing a variety of investigations of scores of journalists and managers into allegations including phone hacking, conspiring conspiracy to hide evidence and corrupting public officials. |
| Additionally, scores of entertainment and sporting personalities have started civil proceedings seeking compensation for the unlawful interception of personal voice mail messages. | Additionally, scores of entertainment and sporting personalities have started civil proceedings seeking compensation for the unlawful interception of personal voice mail messages. |
| The scandal has thrown an unaccustomed spotlight onto the way the British press operates, showing a cozy relationship between journalists, police officers and the political elite while raising questions about Prime Minister Cameron’s judgment in hiring a former Murdoch news executive, Andy Coulson, as his communications director. | The scandal has thrown an unaccustomed spotlight onto the way the British press operates, showing a cozy relationship between journalists, police officers and the political elite while raising questions about Prime Minister Cameron’s judgment in hiring a former Murdoch news executive, Andy Coulson, as his communications director. |
| Mr. Coulson was ordered to appear in court on Wednesday for preliminary hearings into charges that he conspired to intercept voice mail. Mr. Cameron hired Mr. Coulson before he became prime minister but kept him on as communications chief after the Conservative victory in the 2010 election. | |
| As the hacking scandal widened, Mr. Cameron initially stood by Mr. Coulson, but disclosures about illicit phone intercepts continued. Mr. Coulson resigned from his government post in January 2011, saying the scandal was distracting him from his work at 10 Downing Street. | As the hacking scandal widened, Mr. Cameron initially stood by Mr. Coulson, but disclosures about illicit phone intercepts continued. Mr. Coulson resigned from his government post in January 2011, saying the scandal was distracting him from his work at 10 Downing Street. |
| In July 2011, Mr. Coulson was arrested and questioned by the police in England on suspicion of phone hacking and of illegally paying officials for information. In May this year, he was arrested by the Scottish police in a separate case and charged with lying under oath about whether he knew phone hacking was going on at The News of the World, of which he had been editor. | In July 2011, Mr. Coulson was arrested and questioned by the police in England on suspicion of phone hacking and of illegally paying officials for information. In May this year, he was arrested by the Scottish police in a separate case and charged with lying under oath about whether he knew phone hacking was going on at The News of the World, of which he had been editor. |
| In a separate case, Rebekah Brooks, 44, the former chief executive of News International — Mr. Murdoch’s British newspaper outpost — faces three charges of conspiring to pervert the course of justice. | |
| Prosecutors accuse her and her husband, Charlie Brooks, a racehorse trainer, of concealing material from police officers. Several former members of her staff also face charges. She has denied phone hacking charges. | Prosecutors accuse her and her husband, Charlie Brooks, a racehorse trainer, of concealing material from police officers. Several former members of her staff also face charges. She has denied phone hacking charges. |
| Ms. Brooks was once among the most influential people in British journalism, at different times editing two of Mr. Murdoch’s mass circulation tabloids, running his operations here and in close touch with Mr. Cameron. | Ms. Brooks was once among the most influential people in British journalism, at different times editing two of Mr. Murdoch’s mass circulation tabloids, running his operations here and in close touch with Mr. Cameron. |
| Five other journalists from The News of the World Sunday tabloid, which Mr. Murdoch ordered closed as a result of the scandal, also arrived in court Wednesday, along with private investigator Glenn Mulcaire. | |
| For many years, executives at News International insisted that phone hacking was the work of a single rogue reporter. In early 2007, Clive Goodman, a journalist who covered the royal family for The News of the World, was sentenced to four months in prison for hacking into royal officials’ voice mail in 2005 and 2006. At that time, Mr. Mulcaire was also sentenced to six months in jail. | For many years, executives at News International insisted that phone hacking was the work of a single rogue reporter. In early 2007, Clive Goodman, a journalist who covered the royal family for The News of the World, was sentenced to four months in prison for hacking into royal officials’ voice mail in 2005 and 2006. At that time, Mr. Mulcaire was also sentenced to six months in jail. |