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Rebekah Brooks feared £200,000 deal being seen as 'buying off' Max Clifford Rebekah Brooks feared £200,000 deal being seen as 'buying off' Max Clifford
(about 2 hours later)
Senior executives at News International considered giving PR veteran Max Clifford a £200,000 contract with the Sun in the belief he would "call off the lawyers" in his phone-hacking civil claim, the Old Bailey has heard. Rebekah Brooks offered PR veteran Max Clifford a £200,000-a year-contract with the Sun in the belief he would "call off the lawyers" in his phone-hacking civil claim, the Old Bailey heard yesterday.
However, Rebekah Brooks feared that any deal could backfire as it might look as if they were paying to silence Clifford. Senior executives at News International at one point suggested that Brooks give him money in cash after he demanded a written agreement.
"Brooks said it would look terrible if seen to be 'buying off' Max," minutes of a meeting held in January 2010 said. Internal minutes of a meeting held in January 2010 involving Brooks and NI legal managers show that she feared the deal could backfire and could look as if the company was paying him off to stop potentially explosive revelations about hacking coming out in his civil action.
The internal memo of the meeting involving Brooks and company lawyers reported that Clifford would "call the lawyers off" if he got the £200,000-a-year deal "to represent the Sun/do business with the Sun" and it was put in writing. "Brooks said it would look terrible if seen to be 'buying off' Max," the minutes said. "Brooks reported that she got Max to agree £200,000 per annum to represent the Sun/do business with the Sun.
"We either get something in writing or she could physically turn up with cash to see him," the memo of the meeting of NI lawyers and managers noted. "He would call the lawyers off the next day if the deal was put in writing," the minutes continued. "We either get something in writing or she could physically turn up with cash to see him."
The meeting was held in January 2010 after it emerged that a potential civil case by Clifford in relation to hacking may have led to a court order requiring Glenn Mulcaire to name those involved in hacking on the News of the World. The meeting was held after it emerged that a potential civil case by Clifford in relation to hacking may have led to a court order requiring Glenn Mulcaire, already convicted of hacking offences, to name those involved in hacking on the News of the World.
"You have to think about what is worse – her doing a deal with Max which will be perceived as a cover-up or indemnifying Mulcaire so that he doesn't say anything about NGN," said the internal memo. "You have to think about what is worse – her doing a deal with Max which will be perceived as a cover-up or indemnifying Mulcaire so that he doesn't say anything about NGN [News Group Newspapers]," said the internal memo."He [Mulcaire] could say anything and he could say anybody – Chapman said it would certainly be difficult to prove that he [Mulcaire] was just making up names. Brooks said it would look terrible if seen to be 'buying off' Max," it continued.
"He [Mulcaire] could say anything and he could say anybody – Chapman said it would certainly be difficult to prove that he [Mulcaire] was just making up names. Brooks said it would look terrible if seen to be 'buying off' Max," it continued.
The jury heard that the meeting was attended by Julian Pike, a partner at the law firm Farrer & Co; Tom Crone, the former legal manager of the News of the World; Jon Chapman, the former legal manager at News International; and Brooks.The jury heard that the meeting was attended by Julian Pike, a partner at the law firm Farrer & Co; Tom Crone, the former legal manager of the News of the World; Jon Chapman, the former legal manager at News International; and Brooks.
Mulcaire had been jailed in 2007 in relation to hacking of members of the royal household and by 2010 allegations that the activity was more widespread had hit the headlines again. Brooks was also facing the prospect of being called before a parliamentary select committee. The memo revealed the determination of News International to avoid Mulcaire revealing information about the Sunday tabloid in a potential Clifford trial. Brooks said she was "happy to do whatever it takes" to clinch a deal and did a month later.
The minutes of the meeting noted that the timing of a deal with Clifford was critical. "Once Max sees, say, £30,000 in his account, he will see we pay good rates at The Sun. He just has to accept he will be paid as things go along, it would be a mark of good faith," the memo said.
"When Rebekah Brooks found out she was not going to give evidence at the select committee, her view was things could change. The court heard that Brooks had made efforts to see that a Sunday Times story would not harm the deal she was negotiating with Clifford.
"The offer with Clifford still stands but the longer we go down the case the more difficult it will be to make the deal."
The jury heard that a deal was clinched a month later between Brooks and Clifford, with his lawyer Charlotte Harris notifying Pike that she had instructions that he was satisfied with the private "settlement".
The internal memo noted that Brooks said she was "happy to do whatever it takes to clinch a deal with Clifford, despite his request for a deal in writing.
"Once Max sees say £30,000 in his account, he will see we pay good rates at the Sun. "He just has to accept he will be paid as things go along, it would be a mark of good faith," the notes said.
The court also heard Brooks also made efforts to see that a Sunday Times story would n't snag the deal she was negotiating with the PR supremo.
The jury was shown an email from her to Sunday Times deputy editor Martin Ivens on 20 February 2010, asking him to reconsider a story on the MMR jab that Clifford was unhappy with. She told Ivens that she was close to closing a "legal settlement" with him and "another legal would be a nightmare".The jury was shown an email from her to Sunday Times deputy editor Martin Ivens on 20 February 2010, asking him to reconsider a story on the MMR jab that Clifford was unhappy with. She told Ivens that she was close to closing a "legal settlement" with him and "another legal would be a nightmare".
"He's a slippery fish so you may have him bang to rights, in which case don't worry," she added, asking him to "cast an eye" over the story."He's a slippery fish so you may have him bang to rights, in which case don't worry," she added, asking him to "cast an eye" over the story.
Ivens replied: "No problem, the story is quite vague and minor league, so we'll leave it." Ivens replied: "No problem, the story is quite vague and minor league, so we'll leave it." Brooks replied: "Thanks Martin, huge favour to ask I know."
Brooks replied: "Thanks Martin, huge favour to ask I know." Brooks has pleaded not guilty to a conspiracy to intercept mobile phone communications. The former News International chief executive and David Cameron's former spin doctor Andy Coulson, who also denies the charges against him, will not know their fate until early summer.
Brooks denies being involved in a conspiracy related to phone hacking. Jurors were told by Justice Saunders that they would not be asked to consider their verdict until "the middle of May". The prosecution ends its case today with defence starting on February 17.
The remaining defendants are Clive Goodman, the News of the World's former royal editor, Stuart Kuttner's the paper's former managing editor, Cheryl Carter, Brooks's former PA, Mark Hanna, News International's head of security, and Charlie Brooks, the husband of Rebekah Brooks.
The trial continues.The trial continues.