THE FORMER chief executive of News International, Rebekah Brooks, and her husband, Charlie, appeared at Westminster magistrates’ court in London yesterday on charges of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice by allegedly concealing evidence from the police.
Ms Brooks and her husband arrived at the court wearing matching navy blue suits. She was led into the glass-fronted dock with her husband and sat flanked by him on one side and Cheryl Carter, her former personal assistant, on the other.
Alongside Ms Carter sat Paul Edwards, Ms Brooks’s former chauffeur, and Mark Hanna, the head of security at News International, and behind the five was Daryl Jorsling, who was a security consultant for Brooks provided by News International.
Ms Brooks is charged with three counts of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice by allegedly hiding material from police investigating phone hacking at the News of the World. The other five face one charge of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
No plea was entered by any of the six, who were all remanded on bail.
After a hearing lasting no more than five minutes, Judge Howard Riddle addressed the defendants.
“Could I ask you to stand?” he said. “Your case is sent for trial at Southwark crown court. The first hearing will be on June 22nd.”
– (Guardian service)