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Prosecution opens News of the World phone-hacking trial News of the World hacking jury 'must decide who knew'
(35 minutes later)
The trial of former News of the World journalists accused of phone hacking has got under way at the Old Bailey. The jury at the trial of former News of the World journalists accused of phone hacking must decide "who knew" it was going on, the Old Bailey has been told.
Prosecutor Andrew Edis QC said the trial concerned other discoveries in the investigation, not just hacking. Prosecutor Andrew Edis QC said phone hacking took place while both Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson were editors.
Ex-News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks and ex-News of the World editor Andy Coulson are among eight people who deny a range of charges. Mrs Brooks and Mr Coulson are among eight people who deny charges including intercepting communications.
The court has heard that three other NoW journalists have also pleaded guilty to conspiring to hack phones.The court has heard that three other NoW journalists have also pleaded guilty to conspiring to hack phones.
The trial could last up to six months. 'Simple issue'
Mr Edis told the jury of nine women and three men that the News of the World had closed because it had been discovered that someone at the newspaper had hacked the phone of a "young murdered girl, Milly Dowler." Mr Edis said: "We say we will be able to show that there was phone hacking at the News of the World. That Glenn Mulcaire did it. That Clive Goodman did it. And that Ian Edmonson did it.
"Were they asked as part of the conspiracy, given that they were so senior at the paper? They wanted it to happen because they were in charge of the purse-strings... so you may say that if they didn't stop it, they were part of the conspiracy to carry on."
He told the jury it was "quite a simple issue" - "There was phone hacking - who knew?"
Mr Edis said "there was phone hacking during both periods" when Mrs Brooks and Mr Coulson edited the News of the World.
"You will have to decide whether it could happen without the editor knowing," he told the jury.
Mr Edis told the jury there would be timelines relating to famous people including Sir Paul McCartney, Jude Law, Lord Prescott and others.
Mr Edis said one of the defendants, Mr Edmonson, had commissioned Mr Mulcaire to carry out "an undoubtedly large number of phone hacks."
One hack related to someone who knew actress Joanna Lumley, and police had found recordings of 13 of Lord Frederick Windsor's voicemails.
There were also recordings of voicemails left by former Home Secretary David Blunkett to his friend Sally Anderson.
Mr Edis told the jury the prosecution would show Mr Edmondson had hacked the phones of journalists at rival papers, including the Mail on Sunday.
He said News of the World journalists Greg Miskiw, Neville Thurlbeck and James Weatherup have also pleaded guilty to conspiring to hack phones.
Earlier in his opening speech, Mr Edis told the jury of nine women and three men that the News of the World had closed because it had been discovered that someone at the newspaper had hacked the phone of a "young murdered girl, Milly Dowler."
He said that phone hacking meant listening to other people's voicemails without their consent, usually by finding the passcode needed to listen to messages left for them by someone else.He said that phone hacking meant listening to other people's voicemails without their consent, usually by finding the passcode needed to listen to messages left for them by someone else.
Mr Edis said the newspaper had employed a private investigator, Glenn Mulcaire, to be involved in phone hacking in order to find or develop stories that would eventually make it into the News of the World's pages. Mr Edis said the newspaper had employed a private investigator, Mr Mulcaire, to be involved in phone hacking in order to find or develop stories that would eventually make it into the News of the World's pages.
He said public officials, including prison officers and soldiers, sold information to the News of the World and the Sun, and that was a crime.He said public officials, including prison officers and soldiers, sold information to the News of the World and the Sun, and that was a crime.
The third set of allegations faced by some of the defendants concerned hiding possible evidence - perverting the course of justice, he said.The third set of allegations faced by some of the defendants concerned hiding possible evidence - perverting the course of justice, he said.
Mr Edis said Mrs Brooks, Mr Coulson and colleagues Ian Edmondson and Stuart Kuttner were charged with conspiracy to intercept communications by listening to voicemails.
Further chargesFurther charges
Mr Coulson and reporter Clive Goodman are alleged to have paid a Buckingham Palace police officer for a copy of the royal household telephone book. Mr Edis said Mrs Brooks, Mr Coulson and colleagues Mr Edmondson and Stuart Kuttner were charged with conspiracy to intercept communications by listening to voicemails.
Mr Coulson and reporter Mr Goodman are alleged to have paid a Buckingham Palace police officer for a copy of the royal household telephone book.
Mr Goodman allegedly asked Mr Coulson to approve a payment to a palace police officer.Mr Goodman allegedly asked Mr Coulson to approve a payment to a palace police officer.
Mrs Brooks is alleged to have approved payments to public officials while she was editor of the Sun after 2003.Mrs Brooks is alleged to have approved payments to public officials while she was editor of the Sun after 2003.
She also allegedly approved nearly £40,000 of payments for stories from a security-cleared MoD official.She also allegedly approved nearly £40,000 of payments for stories from a security-cleared MoD official.
Further charges allege an attempt to cover-up evidence involving Mrs Brooks, her PA Cheryl Carter, husband Charlie Brooks and security chief Mark Hanna.Further charges allege an attempt to cover-up evidence involving Mrs Brooks, her PA Cheryl Carter, husband Charlie Brooks and security chief Mark Hanna.
Mr Edis said Mr Mulcaire pleaded guilty to conspiracy to hack phones in November 2006 and was sentenced for that along with Mr Goodman.Mr Edis said Mr Mulcaire pleaded guilty to conspiracy to hack phones in November 2006 and was sentenced for that along with Mr Goodman.
The court heard that Mr Mulcaire had pleaded guilty this year to three counts of conspiracy to hack phones in relation to Milly Dowler and others.The court heard that Mr Mulcaire had pleaded guilty this year to three counts of conspiracy to hack phones in relation to Milly Dowler and others.
News of the World journalists Greg Miskiw, Neville Thurlbeck and James Weatherup have also pleaded guilty to conspiring to hack phones, he said. The trial could last up to six months.
Mr Edis said: "We say we will be able to show that there was phone hacking at the News of the World. That Glenn Mulcaire did it. That Clive Goodman did it. And that Ian Edmonson did it.
"Were they asked as part of the conspiracy, given that they were so senior at the paper? They wanted it to happen because they were in charge of the purse-strings... So you may say that if they didn't stop it, they were part of the conspiracy to carry on."
He told the jury it was "quite a simple issue" - "There was phone hacking - who knew?"
Mr Edis said "there was phone hacking during both periods" when Mrs Brooks and Mr Coulson edited the News of the World.
"You will have to decide whether it could happen without the editor knowing," he told the jury.