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Phone-hacking trial: Andy Coulson denies News of the World 'interference' Phone-hacking trial: Andy Coulson 'unaware' of Milly phone hack
(34 minutes later)
Former editor Andy Coulson has told the phone-hacking trial it was not the News of the World's role "to interfere in police investigations". Andy Coulson has said he was not party to any decision to hack Milly Dowler's phone and that he would not have known at that time the practice was illegal.
He said "catching criminals" was part of the paper's "DNA" and that meant working with the police, despite some "tensions or fall-outs" at times. The ex-News of the World editor said he was "aware of" hacking "in very vague terms" as something "gossiped about".
But had he known it was going on he would have viewed it as "lazy journalism", he told the hacking trial.
Mr Coulson, 46, denies conspiracy to hack phones and conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office.Mr Coulson, 46, denies conspiracy to hack phones and conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office.
He said he not aware of any decision to hack Milly Dowler's phone. The court has previously heard that Mr Coulson was in charge of the newspaper in 2002 - when murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler's phone was hacked - because editor Rebekah Brooks was on holiday.
The court has previously heard that Mr Coulson was in charge of the newspaper in 2002, when the murdered schoolgirl's phone was hacked, because editor Rebekah Brooks was on holiday. The hacking was carried out by private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, working for the paper.
Mr Coulson resigned from the News of the World following the conviction of Mulcaire and the tabloid's former royal editor Clive Goodman for phone hacking.
'Intrusive'
Mr Coulson said rumours of phone hacking by newspapers were "in the ether" at the time.
But when asked by his barrister, Timothy Langdale QC, whether he was aware of any hacking by his paper in relation to Milly Dowler, he replied: "No I was not."
Asked whether - given he did not know at the time that hacking was a crime - he "would have had any problems with it", he replied: "I would have thought it was intrusive.
"I would have thought that it was a breach of privacy, and I also would have thought that it was lazy journalism.
"My attitudes were formed by the people I had worked for and the kind of reporter that I was, and neither the people I had worked for or myself as a reporter was interested in that - that kind of behaviour."
Mr Coulson, who later worked as Downing Street director of communications, also told the trial it was not the News of the World's role "to interfere in police investigations".
He said "catching criminals" was part of the paper's "DNA" and that meant working closely with the police, despite some "tensions or fall-outs" at times.
He is the last of seven defendants, who deny all charges against them, to give evidence.He is the last of seven defendants, who deny all charges against them, to give evidence.
The trial continues.The trial continues.