Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson to be charged over paying officials

New charges face Brooks and Coulson for their roles as editors, it has emerged

17:26 20 November 2012

The Crown Prosecution Service has announced on Tuesday that Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson are to be charged with making alleged payments to public officials. The news comes after the Metropolitan Police began a certain inquiry last year.

 

The investigation into allegations of bribery relating to newspapers started in June 2011. Since then, Mrs. Brooks, editor for The Sun, and Mr Coulson, who was editor at News of the World, have been questioned with regards to the two papers owner, News International.

Alongside Mrs. Brooks and Mr. Coulson, there are three other individuals who are expected to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

These relate to Bettina Jordan Barber, of the Ministry of Defence, Clive Goodman, who was also a former editor at News of the World and John Kay, The Sun’s Chief Reporter.

Alison Levitt, QC, a principal legal advisor, confirmed that “Clive Goodman and Andy Coulson should be charged with two conspiracies.”

She said: “The allegations relate to the request and authorisation of payments to public officials in exchange for information, including a Palace phone directory known as the 'Green Book' containing contact details for the Royal Family and Members of the Household.”

With regards to The Sun, the conclusion drawn was that; “Bettina Jordan Barber, John Kay and Rebekah Brooks should be charged with a conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office between 1 January 2004 and 31 January 2012.”

Ms. Levitt continued: “This conspiracy relates to information allegedly provided by Bettina Jordan Barber for payment which formed the basis of a series of news stories published by The Sun.

“It is alleged that approximately £100,000 was paid to Bettina Jordan Barber between 2004 and 2011.”