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| Phone-hacking trial: Rebekah Brooks begins her evidence | Phone-hacking trial: Rebekah Brooks begins her evidence |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Former News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks is giving evidence for the first time at the phone-hacking trial. | Former News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks is giving evidence for the first time at the phone-hacking trial. |
| Earlier, she was formally cleared of one count of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office. She denies four other charges. | Earlier, she was formally cleared of one count of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office. She denies four other charges. |
| The judge directed the jury to acquit her of a charge that she authorised a Sun reporter to pay for a picture of Prince William in a bikini. | The judge directed the jury to acquit her of a charge that she authorised a Sun reporter to pay for a picture of Prince William in a bikini. |
| Mrs Brooks is one of seven defendants on trial at the Old Bailey. | Mrs Brooks is one of seven defendants on trial at the Old Bailey. |
| Beginning her evidence, she spoke about her early career in journalism, including work experience at the Warrington Guardian at the age of 14. | |
| She said the idea of becoming a journalist "probably stemmed" from her grandmother, who wrote a poetry column for her local paper. | She said the idea of becoming a journalist "probably stemmed" from her grandmother, who wrote a poetry column for her local paper. |
| Her first job was at the Post, which she said proved to be a "short-lived" publication. | Her first job was at the Post, which she said proved to be a "short-lived" publication. |
| In April 1989, she got a job as a features researcher at the News of the World's Sunday magazine, before being promoted to feature writer in September that year, she said. | In April 1989, she got a job as a features researcher at the News of the World's Sunday magazine, before being promoted to feature writer in September that year, she said. |
| Mrs Brooks told the court she moved to the News of the World's features department in 1992, and became deputy features editor in 1994. | Mrs Brooks told the court she moved to the News of the World's features department in 1992, and became deputy features editor in 1994. |
| She became aware early on of the importance of having good contacts, she said. | She became aware early on of the importance of having good contacts, she said. |
| She told the court one key story in her career came when she got Paul Gascoigne to speak about domestic violence in exchange for £50,000-80,000. | She told the court one key story in her career came when she got Paul Gascoigne to speak about domestic violence in exchange for £50,000-80,000. |
| Mrs Brooks said getting the footballer to speak about "such a sensitive subject" had "set out the ground work for me doing that time and time again with other high-profile people who were having difficult circumstances". | Mrs Brooks said getting the footballer to speak about "such a sensitive subject" had "set out the ground work for me doing that time and time again with other high-profile people who were having difficult circumstances". |
| Rivalry 'ingrained' | |
| Asked about another major story while she was features editor at the News of the World, she said she had agreed a £100,000 deal in 1995 with prostitute Divine Brown after actor Hugh Grant was caught with her. | |
| But she said the newspaper ended up spending far more - about £250,000 in total - flying Ms Brown and her family to "the desert", possibly Nevada, to keep her away from rival newspapers. | |
| "It was probably one of the biggest expenses that I had ever dealt with," she said. | |
| Mrs Brooks said there was fierce competition between the news and features departments at the News of the World, as well as with other News International papers. | |
| She said that on one occasion her phone wires were cut by journalists from the news desk after her department ran a story about a judge that had impressed the newspaper's bosses. | |
| There was "probably a bit of old-school misogyny" towards her, she said, but competition between the two desks was "ingrained into the News of the World's history". | |
| On Wednesday the court saw an email from Mrs Brooks in which she claimed former Prime Minister Tony Blair had offered to be an "unofficial adviser" to senior News International figures when the hacking story broke. | |
| She said she first met Mr Blair and the "New Labour crew" in 1996 when she accompanied then-boyfriend Ross Kemp to an education rally. | |
| The Sun and the News of the World's switched to support Mr Blair in 1997, and Mrs Brooks said: "The Sun had supported the Tories for a long time and they supported Tony Blair in favour of John Major very early on. It was a big thing." | |
| Speaking about occasions when she would stand in for the editor, Mrs Brooks said News Corporation chairman and chief executive Rupert Murdoch would call on a Saturday night and ask "What's going on?" | |
| She said Mr Murdoch offered her "kind advice" on her job, and wanted her to take a "strict path" in terms of publicity. | |
| "He wasn't very fond of editors… going on [BBC] Radio 4 and spouting forth about their opinions," she said. | |
| Prince picture | Prince picture |
| Mr Justice Saunders said there was "no case to answer" on the count relating to Prince William. | Mr Justice Saunders said there was "no case to answer" on the count relating to Prince William. |
| "Whether or not there is a case to answer is for me to decide on a matter of law," he said. | "Whether or not there is a case to answer is for me to decide on a matter of law," he said. |
| In that count, Mrs Brooks was accused of authorising a reporter to pay a serving member of the armed forces £4,000 for a picture of Prince William dressed in a bikini at a fancy dress party at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. | In that count, Mrs Brooks was accused of authorising a reporter to pay a serving member of the armed forces £4,000 for a picture of Prince William dressed in a bikini at a fancy dress party at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. |
| Mrs Brooks, 45, still faces two charges of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, one of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office and one of conspiracy to hack voicemail messages - all of which she denies. | Mrs Brooks, 45, still faces two charges of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, one of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office and one of conspiracy to hack voicemail messages - all of which she denies. |
| Making an opening statement for Mrs Brooks, her lawyer Jonathan Laidlaw QC said jurors might have found the trial hard to follow so far. | Making an opening statement for Mrs Brooks, her lawyer Jonathan Laidlaw QC said jurors might have found the trial hard to follow so far. |
| He said "on occasions absolutely critical information was overlooked or left out" by the prosecution. | He said "on occasions absolutely critical information was overlooked or left out" by the prosecution. |
| And he told the jury that at the end of the trial, he would "have a lot more to say" about Mrs Brooks's treatment by the prosecution and the police. | And he told the jury that at the end of the trial, he would "have a lot more to say" about Mrs Brooks's treatment by the prosecution and the police. |
| Mr Laidlaw reminded the jury that Mrs Brooks was not "on trial for having worked for Rupert Murdoch's company", or for being the editor of a tabloid newspaper. | Mr Laidlaw reminded the jury that Mrs Brooks was not "on trial for having worked for Rupert Murdoch's company", or for being the editor of a tabloid newspaper. |
| All seven defendants deny the various charges against them. | All seven defendants deny the various charges against them. |