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| Andy Coulson jailed for 18 months for conspiracy to hack phones | Andy Coulson jailed for 18 months for conspiracy to hack phones |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The disgraced former No 10 spin doctor Andy Coulson has been jailed for 18 months for plotting to hack phones while he was in charge of the News of the World. | The disgraced former No 10 spin doctor Andy Coulson has been jailed for 18 months for plotting to hack phones while he was in charge of the News of the World. |
| The 46-year-old was found guilty last week of conspiring to intercept voicemails at the now-defunct Sunday tabloid following an eight-month trial at the Old Bailey. | The 46-year-old was found guilty last week of conspiring to intercept voicemails at the now-defunct Sunday tabloid following an eight-month trial at the Old Bailey. |
| The offence carries a maximum sentence of two years' imprisonment, but Coulson received a discount of several months for his previous good character. He could be out in less than nine months because, as a non-violent offender, he is required to serve just half his sentence. | The offence carries a maximum sentence of two years' imprisonment, but Coulson received a discount of several months for his previous good character. He could be out in less than nine months because, as a non-violent offender, he is required to serve just half his sentence. |
| Mr Justice Saunders told the court the evidence heard in the trial revealed that Coulson clearly thought it was necessary to use phone hacking to maintain the News of the World's "competitive edge". | Mr Justice Saunders told the court the evidence heard in the trial revealed that Coulson clearly thought it was necessary to use phone hacking to maintain the News of the World's "competitive edge". |
| He said the paper's delay in telling police about hacking the voicemail of the missing Surrey schoolgirl Milly Dowler in 2002 showed the motivation was to "take credit for finding her" and sell the maximum number of newspapers. Saunders described that delay as "unforgiveable". | He said the paper's delay in telling police about hacking the voicemail of the missing Surrey schoolgirl Milly Dowler in 2002 showed the motivation was to "take credit for finding her" and sell the maximum number of newspapers. Saunders described that delay as "unforgiveable". |
| The judge said: "Mr Coulson has to take the major share for the blame of phone hacking at the News of the World. He knew about it, he encouraged it when he should have stopped it." | The judge said: "Mr Coulson has to take the major share for the blame of phone hacking at the News of the World. He knew about it, he encouraged it when he should have stopped it." |
| The judge said there was "insufficient evidence to conclude that he started phone hacking at the News of the World" but there was "ample evidence that it increased enormously while he was editor". | The judge said there was "insufficient evidence to conclude that he started phone hacking at the News of the World" but there was "ample evidence that it increased enormously while he was editor". |
| Dressed in the grey suit and white shirt combination he has frequently worn during the trial, Coulson arrived with his QC, Timothy Langdale, in a London taxi and pushed through the scrum of photographers to enter the court. | Dressed in the grey suit and white shirt combination he has frequently worn during the trial, Coulson arrived with his QC, Timothy Langdale, in a London taxi and pushed through the scrum of photographers to enter the court. |
| Coulson's wife Eloise was not present. One of his legal team took his small black holdall to the dock where large suitcases belonging to the other defendants who are also being sentenced sat. | Coulson's wife Eloise was not present. One of his legal team took his small black holdall to the dock where large suitcases belonging to the other defendants who are also being sentenced sat. |
| He will be taken to HM Belmarsh prison near Woolwich at lunchtime where he will be assessed before being sent to an open prison in a few days. | He will be taken to HM Belmarsh prison near Woolwich at lunchtime where he will be assessed before being sent to an open prison in a few days. |
| The high-security prison is home to terrorists and other category A prisoners, but has a separate wing dealing with local offenders sentenced at the Old Bailey, which is where Coulson and his co-defendants will go. | The high-security prison is home to terrorists and other category A prisoners, but has a separate wing dealing with local offenders sentenced at the Old Bailey, which is where Coulson and his co-defendants will go. |
| David Cameron, who employed Coulson as his director of communications after he left the News of the World, said the jail sentence showed that "no-one is above the law". | David Cameron, who employed Coulson as his director of communications after he left the News of the World, said the jail sentence showed that "no-one is above the law". |
| Asked about the outcome on a visit to Scotland, the prime minister said: "Well, what it says is that it is right that justice should be done and no one is above the law, which is what I have always said." | Asked about the outcome on a visit to Scotland, the prime minister said: "Well, what it says is that it is right that justice should be done and no one is above the law, which is what I have always said." |
| The Labour leader, Ed Miliband, said the case amounted to a verdict on Cameron's judgment. "My thoughts today are with the victims of phone hacking, the victims of Andy Coulson's behaviour," he said. "I think it's right that justice has been done. | |
| "I think, once again, it throws up very serious questions about David Cameron's judgment in bringing a criminal into the heart of Downing Street despite repeated warnings. This is a verdict on Andy Coulson's criminal behaviour but it is also a verdict on David Cameron's judgment." | |
| Three former news editors of the paper – all of whom pleaded guilty to taking part in a conspiracy to intercept voicemail messages of royals, celebrities, politicians, sports stars and victims of crime between 2000 and 2006 – were also sentenced. | Three former news editors of the paper – all of whom pleaded guilty to taking part in a conspiracy to intercept voicemail messages of royals, celebrities, politicians, sports stars and victims of crime between 2000 and 2006 – were also sentenced. |
| Greg Miskiw, 64, who hired the private investigator-turned phone hacker Glenn Mulcaire to work for the paper in 2001, was jailed for six months. | Greg Miskiw, 64, who hired the private investigator-turned phone hacker Glenn Mulcaire to work for the paper in 2001, was jailed for six months. |
| Neville Thurlbeck, 52, the paper's former chief reporter and news editor who conspired to hack the phone of former home secretary David Blunkett, also got six months. | Neville Thurlbeck, 52, the paper's former chief reporter and news editor who conspired to hack the phone of former home secretary David Blunkett, also got six months. |
| James Weatherup, 58, who joined the paper in 2004 and admitted tasking Mulcaire to hack phones, was handed a 12-month suspended sentence. | James Weatherup, 58, who joined the paper in 2004 and admitted tasking Mulcaire to hack phones, was handed a 12-month suspended sentence. |
| The paper's former specialist hacker, Glenn Mulcaire, 43, a footballer-turned-investigator who had been jailed for hacking the phones of royal aides in 2007, was also sentenced. He had pleaded guilty to a second set of charges last year, including the hacking of Milly's phone. | The paper's former specialist hacker, Glenn Mulcaire, 43, a footballer-turned-investigator who had been jailed for hacking the phones of royal aides in 2007, was also sentenced. He had pleaded guilty to a second set of charges last year, including the hacking of Milly's phone. |
| Coulson, Miskiw and Thurlbeck looked emotionless during their sentencing and the public gallery was silent. Weatherup and Mulcaire were able to walk free from court. | Coulson, Miskiw and Thurlbeck looked emotionless during their sentencing and the public gallery was silent. Weatherup and Mulcaire were able to walk free from court. |
| Three court security staff sat in the dock with the defendants for the first time, escorting Coulson and his two former colleagues after the judge ordered them to be "taken down". | Three court security staff sat in the dock with the defendants for the first time, escorting Coulson and his two former colleagues after the judge ordered them to be "taken down". |
| Saunders rejected the argument offered by Mulcaire's lawyers in mitigation that he thought he was helping the police by hacking her phone. But he was allowed home after he recieved a six-month sentence that was suspended for 12 months. | Saunders rejected the argument offered by Mulcaire's lawyers in mitigation that he thought he was helping the police by hacking her phone. But he was allowed home after he recieved a six-month sentence that was suspended for 12 months. |
| Saunders said: "Mr Mulcaire, you are truly the lucky one", telling him it would be "wrong" to send him back to prison as he had already served time in 2007 for phone hacking. | Saunders said: "Mr Mulcaire, you are truly the lucky one", telling him it would be "wrong" to send him back to prison as he had already served time in 2007 for phone hacking. |
| He added that it was not his fault that the authorities did not conduct a full investigation and undercover the full extent of hacking at the time. | He added that it was not his fault that the authorities did not conduct a full investigation and undercover the full extent of hacking at the time. |
| The judge also said: "All the journalists in the dock are distinguished. There was no need for hacking. Their achievements now count for nothing". | The judge also said: "All the journalists in the dock are distinguished. There was no need for hacking. Their achievements now count for nothing". |
| Saunders gave the maximum one third discount to Thurlbeck, who had hacked David Blunkett's phone, and Miskiw, the executive who hired Mulcaire, because they had pleaded guilty early. He said the previous good character of Thurlbeck, Miskiw and Weatherup counted for very little. | Saunders gave the maximum one third discount to Thurlbeck, who had hacked David Blunkett's phone, and Miskiw, the executive who hired Mulcaire, because they had pleaded guilty early. He said the previous good character of Thurlbeck, Miskiw and Weatherup counted for very little. |
| "They were able to get away with this criminal conduct for so long because of the respect in which they were held as senior journalists," Saunders said. | "They were able to get away with this criminal conduct for so long because of the respect in which they were held as senior journalists," Saunders said. |
| He said all three had expressed remorse for what they had done but he felt it "had the appearance of regret for the consequences … of getting caught". | He said all three had expressed remorse for what they had done but he felt it "had the appearance of regret for the consequences … of getting caught". |
| The sentencing of the five comes three years to the day since the Guardian revealed that someone acting on behalf of the News of the World had hacked Milly's phone in 2002. | The sentencing of the five comes three years to the day since the Guardian revealed that someone acting on behalf of the News of the World had hacked Milly's phone in 2002. |
| During the trial, Coulson denied being party to hacking or knowing that Milly's phone had been hacked by Mulcaire. | During the trial, Coulson denied being party to hacking or knowing that Milly's phone had been hacked by Mulcaire. |
| However, he admitted listening to the hacked messages Blunkett left on a married woman's phone – an admission that is likely to have been central to the jury's decision to find him guilty. | However, he admitted listening to the hacked messages Blunkett left on a married woman's phone – an admission that is likely to have been central to the jury's decision to find him guilty. |
| He also said he did not know at the time that hacking was a crime and that if he knew any of his staff were involved in the unlawful activity he would have viewed it as "intrusive" and "lazy journalism". | He also said he did not know at the time that hacking was a crime and that if he knew any of his staff were involved in the unlawful activity he would have viewed it as "intrusive" and "lazy journalism". |
| Hacking was made an offence under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, which was drawn up to govern law enforcement agencies' use of surveillance. | Hacking was made an offence under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, which was drawn up to govern law enforcement agencies' use of surveillance. |
| The prosecution said that Coulson and the news editors had "utterly corrupted" the News of the World and turned it into a "thoroughly criminal enterprise". | The prosecution said that Coulson and the news editors had "utterly corrupted" the News of the World and turned it into a "thoroughly criminal enterprise". |
| Crown prosecutor Andrew Edis QC said the phone-hacking victims of the now-defunct Sunday tabloid "read like a Who's Who of Britain in the first five years of this century". | Crown prosecutor Andrew Edis QC said the phone-hacking victims of the now-defunct Sunday tabloid "read like a Who's Who of Britain in the first five years of this century". |
| After sentencing, the court returned to the issue of the £750,000 costs the crown is seeking to claw back from those convicted. All five face financial ruin if costs are awarded against them in what the judge described as a "unique" case, which will be heard later this year. | After sentencing, the court returned to the issue of the £750,000 costs the crown is seeking to claw back from those convicted. All five face financial ruin if costs are awarded against them in what the judge described as a "unique" case, which will be heard later this year. |
| Prosecutor Andrew Edis said it was still not clear if Coulson's costs would be indemnified against costs. | Prosecutor Andrew Edis said it was still not clear if Coulson's costs would be indemnified against costs. |
| Jonathan Laidlaw, QC for Rebekah Brooks said if she were to give a detailed breakdown of the costs it would take her three months. | Jonathan Laidlaw, QC for Rebekah Brooks said if she were to give a detailed breakdown of the costs it would take her three months. |
| Seven of the 11 jurors returned to see Coulson sentenced. | Seven of the 11 jurors returned to see Coulson sentenced. |