British justice is on trial, judge tells jurors in News of the World phone hacking case

 
Jury sworn in: Former News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks arrives at the Central Criminal Court in London today
Former News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks arrives at Central Criminal Court in London, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013. Once one of the most powerful people in the British media, Brooks, a senior executive for media mogul Rupert Murdoch and associate of Prime
Paul Cheston30 October 2013
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Jurors in the News of the World phone hacking trial were warned today to ignore Private Eye because "British justice is on trial."

The nine women, three man panel was sworn in and told that today’s Private Eye cover featuring Rebekah Brooks was “meant to be satire” but was “a joke in especially bad taste.”

They were also ordered to ignore blogs and tweets about the case by “actors, musicians, politicians and the rest” because they “know very little.”

The trial is expected to be opened by prosecutor Andrew Edis QC tomorrow afternoon.

But today Mr Justice Saunders laid down “extremely important directions ” to the jury for the trial which is expected to last six months

“Not only the defendants are on trial, but British justice is on trial,” he said.

“It is extremely important you follow that direction. It is a central principle of our system of trial by jury that you decide your verdict on what you hear in court and only that.”

Former News International chief executive Brooks, 45, is accused of phone hacking, illegal payments to public officials and perverting the course of justice.

Ex-Number 10 spin doctor Andy Coulson, 45, faces charges of phone hacking and corrupting public officials.

Six other defendants, including Brooks’ racehorse trainer husband Charlie, also face charges. They have pleaded not guilty to each one.

The judge singled out Private Eye in his warning to the jury to ignore every outside influence and determine their verdict only on the evidence presented in court.

“Unfortunately Private Eye has seen fit to put out their November edition and you will undoubtedly see it and it shows a picture of Rebekah Brooks on its cover,” said the judge.

“It is meant to be satire but you must ignore it, it is not relevant to your consideration, you have to ignore it.

“It is a joke but in the circumstances of today it is a joke in especially bad taste.”

He went on to order the jury not to seek further information on the internet. ”The opinions of others must be put out of your minds,” he went on.

“Some of the defendants are public figures. You may have received messages through Facebook, twitter and the social media about them but the role of the juror is a vital one and it’s essential you put all that material out of your mind.”

Brooks and Coulson are both former editors of the now-defunct News of the World which was closed in the wake of the scandal in 2011.

They are accused of conspiracy to intercept voicemail communications with former NoW head of news Ian Edmondson, 44, and ex-managing editor Stuart Kuttner, 73, between October 2000 and August 2006.

Brooks is also charged with two counts of conspiring with others to commit misconduct in public office, the first between January 2004 and January 2012 and the second between February 2006 and October 2008, linked to alleged payments to public officials.

She faces another two allegations of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice - one with her former personal assistant Cheryl Carter, 49, in July 2011 involving an allegation that they plotted to remove seven boxes of material from the NI archive.

The second count alleges that Brooks, her husband Charlie, 40, and former head of security at NI Mark Hanna, 42, conspired together and with others also in July 2011 to pervert the course of justice.

It is claimed that they tried to conceal documents, computers and other electronic equipment from police officers.

Coulson is also facing two allegations that he conspired with the NoW’s former royal editor Clive Goodman, 56, and others to commit misconduct in public office - one between August 2002 and January 2003; and the other between January and June 2005.

The case continues.

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