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Rebekah Brooks's PA denies lying about knowledge of police inquiry Rebekah Brooks's PA denies lying about knowledge of police inquiry
(about 1 hour later)
Rebekah Brooks' former secretary has denied telling "a lie" in previous evidence when she said she was not aware of a police investigation at News International until 4 July 2011, the day the Guardian reported that Milly Dowler's phone had been hacked.Rebekah Brooks' former secretary has denied telling "a lie" in previous evidence when she said she was not aware of a police investigation at News International until 4 July 2011, the day the Guardian reported that Milly Dowler's phone had been hacked.
Under cross-examination by the prosecution at the phone-hacking trial on Thursday, Carter said that she would have been aware of matters related to the police investigation into the News of the World following the arrests of journalists at the paper in the spring of 2011.Under cross-examination by the prosecution at the phone-hacking trial on Thursday, Carter said that she would have been aware of matters related to the police investigation into the News of the World following the arrests of journalists at the paper in the spring of 2011.
She also said she remembered being asked in May 2011 to put a letter on headed notepaper to the former Metropolitan police officer leading the investigation into phone hacking at the News of the World.She also said she remembered being asked in May 2011 to put a letter on headed notepaper to the former Metropolitan police officer leading the investigation into phone hacking at the News of the World.
Andrew Edis QC, for the prosecution, pressed Carter on internal company announcements made in early 2011 in relation to phone hacking and emails to Brooks, at the time chief executive of News of the World publisher News International, which contained references to newspaper articles on the subject.Andrew Edis QC, for the prosecution, pressed Carter on internal company announcements made in early 2011 in relation to phone hacking and emails to Brooks, at the time chief executive of News of the World publisher News International, which contained references to newspaper articles on the subject.
"This was a very hot potato," said Edis, asking her "did you not talk to her [Brooks] about it at all?" Carter replied: "No Mr Edis I didn't.""This was a very hot potato," said Edis, asking her "did you not talk to her [Brooks] about it at all?" Carter replied: "No Mr Edis I didn't."
She was then asked if she had questioned Brooks about whether the phone-hacking allegations were true. "No I didn't. I was doing my job to the best of my ability as a secretary," Carter said.She was then asked if she had questioned Brooks about whether the phone-hacking allegations were true. "No I didn't. I was doing my job to the best of my ability as a secretary," Carter said.
Carter was also asked about an email about a meeting Brooks went to at the law firm Olswangs in relation to the phone-hacking investigation.Carter was also asked about an email about a meeting Brooks went to at the law firm Olswangs in relation to the phone-hacking investigation.
Brooks's former PA said: "Seeing this email, I can see she was having a meeting with Olswangs, the lawyers, but all I would have done is booked the meeting."Brooks's former PA said: "Seeing this email, I can see she was having a meeting with Olswangs, the lawyers, but all I would have done is booked the meeting."
Interrupting the cross-examination, Mr Justice Saunders asked Carter if evidence she had given on Wednesday, that the first she knew of the police investigation was 4 July, was now inaccurate.Interrupting the cross-examination, Mr Justice Saunders asked Carter if evidence she had given on Wednesday, that the first she knew of the police investigation was 4 July, was now inaccurate.
Carter said she had meant that 4 July was "when it first hit me". "Hit you, what does that mean?" asked Edis. Carter replied: "How sad it was."Carter said she had meant that 4 July was "when it first hit me". "Hit you, what does that mean?" asked Edis. Carter replied: "How sad it was."
Edis put it to her: "It's simply a lie to suggest you did not know about the police investigation until 4 July." Carter responded: "Mr Edis, it is not. I just booked in the meetings. I had no idea."Edis put it to her: "It's simply a lie to suggest you did not know about the police investigation until 4 July." Carter responded: "Mr Edis, it is not. I just booked in the meetings. I had no idea."
Carter was pressed again about the events of 8 July, 2011, two days before the News of the World shut, when she is accused of removing boxes from the News International archive in a criminal conspiracy with Brooks.Carter was pressed again about the events of 8 July, 2011, two days before the News of the World shut, when she is accused of removing boxes from the News International archive in a criminal conspiracy with Brooks.
Both have denied the charge. Carter has told jurors that the boxes were mislabelled as containing her boss's notebooks, but they in fact contained her own.Both have denied the charge. Carter has told jurors that the boxes were mislabelled as containing her boss's notebooks, but they in fact contained her own.
Edis asked her "did it not occur to you that the police might be interesting in the fact that the boxes with her name on it had gone?" Carter replied: "No, I didn't, because that was my stuff."Edis asked her "did it not occur to you that the police might be interesting in the fact that the boxes with her name on it had gone?" Carter replied: "No, I didn't, because that was my stuff."
How did she think it would look the police, Edis asked. "But Mr Edis, I wasn't thinking like that. I wasn't doing anything bad. They were my boxes."How did she think it would look the police, Edis asked. "But Mr Edis, I wasn't thinking like that. I wasn't doing anything bad. They were my boxes."
Carter told jurors on several occasions that she did not discuss the removal of the boxes with Brooks at any stage, even though it meant leaving her desk on one of the busiest days of the year.Carter told jurors on several occasions that she did not discuss the removal of the boxes with Brooks at any stage, even though it meant leaving her desk on one of the busiest days of the year.
She said she nipped downstairs when Brooks was addressing staff in a "town hall meeting" about the closure of the News of the World.She said she nipped downstairs when Brooks was addressing staff in a "town hall meeting" about the closure of the News of the World.
The jury also heard for the first time of a "biography" written by Brooks under her maiden name Rebekah Wade. Carter said she did not think Brooks had written a book but a chapter.The jury also heard for the first time of a "biography" written by Brooks under her maiden name Rebekah Wade. Carter said she did not think Brooks had written a book but a chapter.
In the chapter, Brooks described Carter as one of her "best assets", who was so attentive she would remember the names of the children of anybody she met and even the name of their dog, whether at MI5 or the Beckhams.In the chapter, Brooks described Carter as one of her "best assets", who was so attentive she would remember the names of the children of anybody she met and even the name of their dog, whether at MI5 or the Beckhams.
The court was told that in the resume of the chapter about Carter, Brooks jokingly wrote that she was so good, "Everyone I know has tried to poach her. I've had to threaten them with broken legs and the end of long friendships."
Edis then asked her about an incident Brooks had mentioned in her evidence earlier in the trial, where she recounted that Carter had once mistakenly told Rupert Murdoch her boss was at MFI, the furniture store, rather than MI5.Edis then asked her about an incident Brooks had mentioned in her evidence earlier in the trial, where she recounted that Carter had once mistakenly told Rupert Murdoch her boss was at MFI, the furniture store, rather than MI5.
Carter insisted she had made the mistake and had felt very stupid in front of Murdoch. Asked whether it was true she was occasionally "scatty" as Brooks had said previously in the trial, Carter said "Yes, you saw how I fell off my chair yesterday".Carter insisted she had made the mistake and had felt very stupid in front of Murdoch. Asked whether it was true she was occasionally "scatty" as Brooks had said previously in the trial, Carter said "Yes, you saw how I fell off my chair yesterday".
Without flinching Edis: "Is that because you forgot it was there." "No," said Carter, who is about 5ft tall. "It's because my feet don't touch the ground."Without flinching Edis: "Is that because you forgot it was there." "No," said Carter, who is about 5ft tall. "It's because my feet don't touch the ground."
Carter said that she had once mistakenly booked Brooks a lunch with Ed Miliband instead of David. It was prior to the Labour party leadership election. "I got the winner, but I was meant to get the loser at the time," Carter said to much laughter in court.Carter said that she had once mistakenly booked Brooks a lunch with Ed Miliband instead of David. It was prior to the Labour party leadership election. "I got the winner, but I was meant to get the loser at the time," Carter said to much laughter in court.
In re-examination by her defence counsel, Carter was told that the prosecution's case in relation to the MI5/MF1 mix up was "that you absolutely made it up, that it never actually happened."In re-examination by her defence counsel, Carter was told that the prosecution's case in relation to the MI5/MF1 mix up was "that you absolutely made it up, that it never actually happened."
She replied that it was "a million per cent true I said that to him [Murdoch]."She replied that it was "a million per cent true I said that to him [Murdoch]."
Carter said she was not aware that Rebekah Brooks was personally of interest to the police until she was forced to resign from the company.Carter said she was not aware that Rebekah Brooks was personally of interest to the police until she was forced to resign from the company.
Asked by her defence counsel whether she "understood that Rebekah Brooks was being investigated", Carter said she did not. Asked when she became aware that Brooks was of interest to the police, Carter responded: "I suppose when she walked out of the building. That was quite alarming – and when she was arrested."Asked by her defence counsel whether she "understood that Rebekah Brooks was being investigated", Carter said she did not. Asked when she became aware that Brooks was of interest to the police, Carter responded: "I suppose when she walked out of the building. That was quite alarming – and when she was arrested."
The jury heard that a helicopter was booked for James Murdoch on 8 July for about 7.30pm, two days before the News of the World was to close.The jury heard that a helicopter was booked for James Murdoch on 8 July for about 7.30pm, two days before the News of the World was to close.
Trevor Burke QC said that occasionally Brooks, who lived half an hour from Murdoch in Oxfordshire, would "piggyback" on the helicopter – maybe "eight times in total". Carter corrected him: "Maybe not even that."Trevor Burke QC said that occasionally Brooks, who lived half an hour from Murdoch in Oxfordshire, would "piggyback" on the helicopter – maybe "eight times in total". Carter corrected him: "Maybe not even that."
The trial continues.The trial continues.