Rebekah Brooks appears at Southwark Crown Court

[dipsydoodle]

Source: BBC News

Ex-News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks has appeared in court on charges of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

Mrs Brooks, 44, and husband Charlie, 49, who appeared at Southwark Crown Court, were bailed until 26 September.

She faces three charges of conspiring to pervert the course of justice, while Mr Brooks is charged with one count of the same offence.

Four others also appeared at the court on the same charge.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18546808

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Today was a preliminary hearing following the case being moved by the Magistrates to the Crown Court - if the Magistrates hadn't done so the defendants would've elected trial by jury anyway. This hearing may have been for claims of dismissal of charges by their briefs. Pleas will be made in September at which I would assume a jury / juries will be appointed.

also edited to account for BBC's change of headline

[TahitiNut]

1. Perverts

That's as good a description of these people as any.

[LeftishBrit]

2. I hope she spills a lot of beans!

[GliderGuider]

7. I rather think Becky is a strong believer in omerta. nt

[clang1]

3. Murdoch in America

It looks like this really has not gone anywhere. Not much new out there for 2012.


FBI opens inquiry into Murdoch's News Corp.

July 14, 2011

The agency launches an investigation at the request of U.S. lawmakers alarmed by reports that British reporters may have tried to hack into phones and access records of Sept. 11 victims and their families, in violation of U.S. law.

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jul/14/nation/la-na-murdoch-fbi-20110715

[dipsydoodle]

4. Last I read on the subject

the FBI had blanked on anything worth pursuing. The single claim from The Daily Mirror over here regrading 9/11 died without trace as they were unable to back up their claim. It has also been mentioned on a number of occasions that Mark Lewis is pursuing civil claims in the USA but nothing, other than reports, ever seems to happen on that subject.

[Uncle Joe]

5. I wonder why nothing more has been done over here?

I find it hard to believe Murdoch etal's MO would be any different in the states.

[dipsydoodle]

6. Same could be said of Australia

but nothing there either as far as I aware . What happened here was restricted to his tabloids - not his broad sheet The Times. Do you have News Corp equivalent tabloids in the US ? If not then it may be unlikely you have anything to compare. I consider any comparisons with Fox News here in DU to be absurd and without substance or merit - just gunnin' for the same ol', same ol' target for the sake of it.

[bupkus]

8. My favorite all-time Murdoch/Brooks cartoon

http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/news/content/view/full/106855

[dipsydoodle]

9. Rebekah Brooks should hear in August whether she faces further charges

Rebekah Brooks, the former News International chief executive, should know by the end of the summer whether she is to face further charges in relation to allegations of phone hacking and illegal payments to public officials.

Southwark crown court heard on Friday morning that Brooks is on bail until the end of July and a date in early August in relation to Scotland Yard investigations into alleged phone hacking and police corruption, respectively.

Brooks, 44, her husband Charlie Brooks, 49, and four others have also been charged with perverting the course of justice. They were bailed on these charges until 26 September, the date set by Justice Fulford for a plea hearing.

Andrew Edis, prosecuting QC, said that in relation to the phone hacking and police corruption allegations, although there were no "definitive charging decisions" he was "reasonably confident" that the Crown Prosecution Service would know which way it would proceed by the middle of August.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/jun/22/rebekah-brooks-further-charges