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Phone-hacking trial: Brooks 'unaware' of deal with hacker Phone-hacking trial: Brooks tells of Coulson 'intimacy'
(about 2 hours later)
Former News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks has said she did not know about her newspaper's £92,000 annual contract with phone hacker Glenn Mulcaire. Rebekah Brooks had a "dysfunctional" affair with ex-Sun editor Andy Coulson, but not a six-year relationship with him, the Old Bailey has heard.
She told the Old Bailey she should have been informed of such a contract because of the size of the payment. The ex-News International boss told of periods of "intimacy" with Mr Coulson during her marriage to actor Ross Kemp.
She also spoke about her affair with former colleague Andy Coulson - a co-defendant - while she was married to actor Ross Kemp. She also said she did not know about the News of the World's £92,000 annual contract with phone hacker Glenn Mulcaire while she was editor.
Mrs Brooks, Mr Coulson and five others deny all charges against them.Mrs Brooks, Mr Coulson and five others deny all charges against them.
The court heard the £92,000 annual contract was an "arrangement" between private investigator Mulcaire and senior journalist Greg Miskiw - who has already pleaded guilty to conspiring to hack phones. She asked for, and was granted, a short break as she was asked about her personal life while giving evidence at the Old Bailey.
Mrs Brooks was asked: "Did you know anything about that contract?" Her barrister, Jonathan Laidlaw QC, apologised for asking questions about her relationship with former EastEnders actor Mr Kemp, and her "physical intimacy" with her former deputy Mr Coulson.
She responded: "No, not at the time." She said she met Mr Kemp in 1995 and, after getting engaged and then separating, they got back together and married in 2001.
She said her "sign-off level" for payments in 2000 and 2001 was around £50,000, so requests for larger sums should have come to both her and then-managing editor Stuart Kuttner.
Speaking about spending she did authorise, she said the News of the World would spend thousands of pounds on celebrity pictures.
She also said David Beckham was paid £1m for the Sun and the News of the World to run excerpts of his autobiography.
Mulcaire was jailed along with the News of the World's then-royal editor Clive Goodman in 2007.
In relation to this trial, he has admitted conspiracy to hack phones while Mrs Brooks was the newspaper's editor, from 2000 to 2003.
On Thursday Mrs Brooks said she had never heard of Mulcaire while she was editor.
Marriage 'on hold'
Mrs Brooks asked for, and was granted, a short break as she was asked about her personal life.
Her barrister, Jonathan Laidlaw QC, apologised for asking questions about her relationship with former EastEnders actor Ross Kemp, and her "physical intimacy" with her former deputy Mr Coulson.
She said she met Mr Kemp in 1995 and, after getting engaged then separating, they got back together and married in 2001.
The couple underwent fertility treatment in 2001 and 2002, she said, but their marriage came under strain in 2003 when they were both working "incredibly long hours".
She said their lives were "put on hold" due to the start of the Iraq war, and that she moved to a hotel to be close to work.
'Car crash''Car crash'
Her relationship with Mr Kemp ended amicably in 2005, she said. But she said their marriage came under strain in 2003 when they were both working "incredibly long hours" at start of the Iraq War, and that she moved to a hotel to be close to work. The marriage ended amicably in 2005, she said.
Speaking about Mr Coulson, who is one of her co-defendants, she said they were "close" in 1998 and became so again between 2003 and 2005. Speaking about Mr Coulson she said they were "close" in 1998 and became so again between 2003 and 2005.
"Any affair, by its very nature, is quite dysfunctional. It certainly added a complexity to what was a very good friendship," she said."Any affair, by its very nature, is quite dysfunctional. It certainly added a complexity to what was a very good friendship," she said.
Mrs Brooks said there was a "further brief period of intimacy" with Mr Coulson in 2006.Mrs Brooks said there was a "further brief period of intimacy" with Mr Coulson in 2006.
"My personal life was a bit of a car crash for many years," she said."My personal life was a bit of a car crash for many years," she said.
"It's probably very easy to blame work but the hours were very long and hard and you got thrown together in an industry like that. It was wrong and it shouldn't have happened but things did.""It's probably very easy to blame work but the hours were very long and hard and you got thrown together in an industry like that. It was wrong and it shouldn't have happened but things did."
Asked about a letter to Mr Coulson, seen by the jury earlier in the trial, she said it was written at a time of "emotional anguish" and possibly "after a few glasses of wine".Asked about a letter to Mr Coulson, seen by the jury earlier in the trial, she said it was written at a time of "emotional anguish" and possibly "after a few glasses of wine".
She said the letter was never sent, but police investigating phone hacking found it on her computer.She said the letter was never sent, but police investigating phone hacking found it on her computer.
In the letter, she wrote: "The fact is you are my very best friend. I tell you everything, I confide in you, I seek your advice, I love you, care about you, worry about you. We laugh and cry together... in fact without our relationship in my life, I am really not sure how I will cope."In the letter, she wrote: "The fact is you are my very best friend. I tell you everything, I confide in you, I seek your advice, I love you, care about you, worry about you. We laugh and cry together... in fact without our relationship in my life, I am really not sure how I will cope."
Mrs Brooks denied prosecution claims that she and Mr Coulson had been in a relationship for six years.
First time 'happy'First time 'happy'
Mrs Brooks denied prosecution claims that she and Mr Coulson had been in a relationship for six years.
She said Mr Kemp was a "good man", but her relationships with him and Mr Coulson were not "meant to be".She said Mr Kemp was a "good man", but her relationships with him and Mr Coulson were not "meant to be".
She said she met her current husband Charlie Brooks - also a defendant in the case - in March 2007. She met her current husband Charlie Brooks - also a defendant in the case - in March 2007.
"When I met Charlie, I was happy for the first time," she said."When I met Charlie, I was happy for the first time," she said.
Using Mrs Brooks's cousin as a surrogate, the couple's daughter was born in January 2012.Using Mrs Brooks's cousin as a surrogate, the couple's daughter was born in January 2012.
Before starting to give evidence on Thursday, she was formally cleared of one count of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office. 'Sign-off level'
Earlier, Mrs Brooks said she should have been told about the £92,000 annual contract with Glenn Mulcaire.
The court heard the contract was an "arrangement" between private investigator Mulcaire and senior journalist Greg Miskiw - who have both pleaded guilty to offences relating to phone hacking.
Mrs Brooks, editor of the News of the World from 2000 to 2003, was asked: "Did you know anything about that contract?"
She responded: "No, not at the time."
She said her "sign-off level" for payments in 2000 and 2001 was around £50,000, so requests for larger sums should have come to both her and then-managing editor Stuart Kuttner.
On Thursday Mrs Brooks said she had never heard of Mulcaire while she was News of the World editor.
Speaking about spending she did authorise, she said the News of the World would spend thousands of pounds on celebrity pictures.
She also said David Beckham was paid £1m for the Sun and the News of the World to run excerpts from his autobiography.
On Thursday, Mrs Brooks was formally cleared of one count of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office.
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.