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Hacking trial: Brooks 'agreed payment for William bikini snap' Hacking trial: Brooks 'agreed payment for William bikini snap'
(about 1 hour later)
Former Sun editor Rebekah Brooks agreed a £4,000 payment to a member of the armed forces for a photo of Prince William in a bikini, a court has heard.Former Sun editor Rebekah Brooks agreed a £4,000 payment to a member of the armed forces for a photo of Prince William in a bikini, a court has heard.
The soldier wanted the money in cash because a colleague who had the picture was "very concerned about the snap ending up in the Sun", the jury heard. The soldier wanted the money in cash, and a reporter told his superiors the payment would "open the door for future exclusives", the jury heard.
Mrs Brooks, who was Sun editor at the time, denies conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office by paying public officials for information.Mrs Brooks, who was Sun editor at the time, denies conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office by paying public officials for information.
She is on trial at the Old Bailey.She is on trial at the Old Bailey.
Mrs Brooks, who is a former News International chief executive, also denies conspiracy to phone hack and perverting the course of justice.Mrs Brooks, who is a former News International chief executive, also denies conspiracy to phone hack and perverting the course of justice.
'Bond girl''Bond girl'
Prince William had been at a James Bond party at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, Berkshire, and was dressed as a Bong girl and wearing a bikini and an open Hawaiian shirt when the photograph was taken.Prince William had been at a James Bond party at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, Berkshire, and was dressed as a Bong girl and wearing a bikini and an open Hawaiian shirt when the photograph was taken.
The court was shown a series of emails from 2006 in which a Sun reporter asked Mrs Brooks to agree to the payment. She replied less than 10 minutes later with a one-word response: "OK".The court was shown a series of emails from 2006 in which a Sun reporter asked Mrs Brooks to agree to the payment. She replied less than 10 minutes later with a one-word response: "OK".
To avoid detection, the money was allegedly paid to a branch of Thomas Cook in Slough, Berkshire, in June 2006, where the prosecution claims it was collected by the wife of the soldier, who was based at Sandhurst.To avoid detection, the money was allegedly paid to a branch of Thomas Cook in Slough, Berkshire, in June 2006, where the prosecution claims it was collected by the wife of the soldier, who was based at Sandhurst.
The paper printed the story in September of that year with a "mock-up" picture of Prince William's head on a picture of a man wearing a bikini.The paper printed the story in September of that year with a "mock-up" picture of Prince William's head on a picture of a man wearing a bikini.
The jury head that Patrick Harrison, press secretary to the Prince of Wales, told a Sun journalist Prince William's privacy should be respected and the photograph should not be published.
The Sun reporter who was working on the story told his superior in the email later forwarded to Mrs Brooks that the picture had come via his "best contact at Sandhurst".The Sun reporter who was working on the story told his superior in the email later forwarded to Mrs Brooks that the picture had come via his "best contact at Sandhurst".
He claimed that although £4,000 "sounds like a lot", it would "open the door for future exclusives and info", the jury heard. He claimed that although £4,000 "sounds like a lot", it would "open the door for future exclusives and info", the court heard.
"I'm worried if we don't meet his demands, this opportunity will pass," he wrote."I'm worried if we don't meet his demands, this opportunity will pass," he wrote.
The Sun journalist and soldier cannot be named for legal reasons. 'Of course'
The court also heard Mrs Brooks agreed payments totalling £4,500 to a reporter's "number one military contact" in return for stories.
These included a story in October 2006 revealing a Sandhurst instructor had been moved to a desk job as a result of drinking, and a story about the death of a female soldier in Basra.
The journalist said in an email to Mrs Brooks that payment for these stories was "cheap at the price".
The court was shown an email in which she responded "of course."
The Sun journalists and the soldier cannot be named for legal reasons.