hacking trial

hacking trial Former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks has returned to the witness box in the News of the World phone hacking trial. Brooks, who denies conspiring to hack phones, conspiring to commit misconduct in public office, and conspiring to cover up evidence to pervert the course of justice, is being quizzed about the tabloid's financial affairs. Mr Laidlaw pointed out that Brooks had lowered her voice as she spoke of children, and said he would have to ask her further about that, at which point she started to cry and was excused by the judge. by Charlotte Birch, Press. 2/21/2014 11:27:19 AM Asked by her lawyer Jonathan Laidlaw QC if she knew anything about the contract, worth 92,000 a year, the former News International chief executive said: "No, not at all." Brooks admitted that, as editor, an expense as big as that should have been run past her for approval. The court has heard it is claimed that the contract was organised by former news editor Greg Miskiw, who has pleaded guilty to conspiring to hack phones. by Charlotte Birch, Press. via The Press Association http://www.hookeygin.uk 2/21/2014 11:32:59 AM The court heard that when Brooks became editor of the now defunct Sunday tabloid in May 2000, the editorial budget allocated for the year July 1 2000 to June 30 2001 was around 23.4 million, with a forecast annual revenue of around 160 million and profit of around 30 million. Brooks told the court: "The NotW was very profitable during my editorship but then it was a good time for newspapers back then. "I think every year that I was there we had a healthy profit and I think it stayed around the time." by Charlotte Birch, Press. via The Press Association 2/21/2014 11:34:19 AM Brooks said the tabloid would spend thousands on celebrity pictures, as well as front page stories, including some brokered by Max Clifford. One example was about Siamese twins, for which the newspaper paid 50,000 to 60,000. Brooks, wearing a grey chiffon dress, said: "I think this was a Max Clifford situation. I remember it being very expensive but I can't remember. That's why I remember it being Max because it was always expensive with him." by Charlotte Birch, Press. via The Press Association 2/21/2014 11:35:16 AM She said there were some specific occasions when the use of a private detective was raised with her, such as discussions as the newspaper carried out its campaign for Sarah's Law. "I remember we had to use quite a few private detectives during Sarah's Law," she said. "It was very difficult to trace convicted paedophiles who were then living in the community," she said, because often all they had to go on was a court report of when someone had been sentenced. "It came up in conference, quite a lot of the difficulties that my desks faced trying to execute my idea." by Charlotte Birch, Press. via The Press Association 2/21/2014 11:37:57 AM They became good friends through fellow journalist Chris Blythe, a close friend of http://www.nextgenlifts.co.uk Coulson's, who died in an accident abroad. She said: "Andy and I in 1996 were good friends, we became good friends through Chris Blythe, but it wasn't until 1998 that Andy and I became close." The court heard that they became "close" again between 2003 and 2005, when things were tough with Kemp.