Coulson & Brooks hacking trial starts today

[carinaman]

Given:

David Leigh and Nick Davies The Guardian Monday 11 July 2011 said:

Operation Reproof, by Plymouth police, revealed the first of what became many systematic attempts to gain illegal confidential information on the prime minister and his family, but their findings were suppressed.

Files buried in police archives detail the discovery of an extraordinary nationwide network of private investigators, whom a corrupt local police officer was feeding with information filched from the police national computer (PNC).

To the detectives' surprise, the targets included the then chancellor of the exchequer, listed by his full name, James Gordon Brown and date of birth, as well as two other Labour politicians.

They were the chancellor's close colleague, the agriculture minister Nick Brown, plus the embattled MP for Reading West, Martin Salter, who at the time of the PNC break-in had been publicly put on an "enemies list" by the then News of the World editor, Rebekah Brooks.

from: http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/jul/11/ev...

Lisa O'Carroll The Guardian website 11 June 2012 said:

Brown said a journalist from the paper phoned his press office to say they had the story, and he and his wife decided to issue a statement as they did not want to be seen to be giving the paper an exclusive.

He added that Brooks then rang the press office and said it would not give advance warning of stories in future if this happened. She then phoned Sarah Brown to discuss it.

"I don't think any child's medical information, particularly at [the age of] four months, has any interest for the public and should be broadcast to the public," Brown said.

Asked why, if she was so upset, his wife remained friends with Brooks after the incident, Brown replied that she was one of the most "forgiving" people in the world.

from: http://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/jun/11/gordo...

And:



from:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2562954/To...


What role did Rebekah Brooks, Andy Coulson et al at News International have in the battle between Tony Blair and Gordon Brown? Were they Blair's tame press attack dogs?

[anonymous-user]

That's a pretty remarkable email. Has it been authenticated?

Edit: I see that it has been presented at the trial, and assume that it is Kosher. Blimey!

[Steffan]

Reading around this subject it appears that the defence will take until May (??!!) to submit their cases (variously). I am very doubtful that the Jury system can actually function effectively over such timescale, Being on the Jury in this trial is way beyond a reasonable requirement for ordinary citizens IMO. Expecting untrained individuals to follow all the threads of a complex trial involving a number of defendants, over that period, is unreasonable IMO and cannot serve justice or ensure a considered verdict. The Jury must be desperate for it to just end. Already.

I am reminded of the Blue Arrow fraud trial years ago which was a disaster under the the judge and effectively collapsed and the Court of Appeal cleared all the defendants concerned. At a cost THEN (22 years ago) of £40 million. Caused a hell of a fuss at the time but generally commentators agreed that such a trial was beyond a jury. Caused a major revision of the process of such trials. I am bound to say if there are three more months of this to go I think the verdicts here could be anybodies guess. In the words of Stephen Ward "This is not Justice!"

[carinaman]

Breadvan72 said:

That's a pretty remarkable email.

Does that look like the Email from someone that wouldn't know that phone 'hacking' was an offence?

[Steffan]

carinaman said:

Breadvan72 said:

That's a pretty remarkable email.

Does that look like the Email from someone that wouldn't know that phone 'hacking' was an offence?

Be interesting to see what BV thinks. My two pennyworth is that it looks just as contrived as it clearly was! But with several months to go will it matter?

[DaveR]

carinaman said:

Does that look like the Email from someone that wouldn't know that phone 'hacking' was an offence?

[10 Pence Short]

carinaman said:

Does that look like the Email from someone that wouldn't know that phone 'hacking' was an offence?

Sorry to urinate on your fries, but the context of today's conversation was the Milly Dowler phone hacking, which happened in 2002. The email you linked post dated that significantly, as it's from 2011.

It's entirely feasible that, if RB didn't know it was illegal in 2002, she would by 2011.

[Oakey]

I love how the email already contains the outcome of the yet to happen inquiry!

[Olf]

10 Pence Short said:

Sorry to urinate on your fries, but the context of today's conversation was the Milly Dowler phone hacking, which happened in 2002. The email you linked post dated that significantly, as it's from 2011.

It's entirely feasible that, if RB didn't know it was illegal in 2002, she would by 2011.

Feasible but unlikely given the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 is the law in question and RB had access to the best legal advice going.

[Muncher]

Olf said:

Feasible but unlikely given the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 is the law in question and RB had access to the best legal advice going.

My old firm! When the brown stuff hit the fan 2 years ago they had at least 10 other firms working on it, somewhat late in the day though.

[10 Pence Short]

Olf said:

Feasible but unlikely given the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 is the law in question and RB had access to the best legal advice going.

I agree and make no comment on whether I think she did or didn't know in 2002. I merely make the point that the email dated 2011 says little about her knowledge in 2002. The tone however shows it was being pointed out to her that stage managing the process would be a good idea.

[essayer]

Wondered who KRM was...


According to Wikipedia, "Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG (born 11 March 1931) is an Australian American business magnate"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rupert_Murdoch

[carinaman]

Data Blog The Guardian website said:

Dee Doocey, a liberal Democrat member of the London assembly who is also a member of the Metropolitan Police Authority, released dates of dinners and lunches attended by senior Met policing figures over the past few years, including since allegations of phone hacking at the News of the World first surfaced - based on a freedom of information request and information released by the Metropolitan police at the request of MPA members.

http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2011/jul/...

Tables aren't just handy for legs and lunches.

[uk66fastback]

Oakey said:

I love how the email already contains the outcome of the yet to happen inquiry!

That's the best bit ... and the sheer arrogance is incredible ...

[spitsfire]

carinaman said:

What role did Rebekah Brooks, Andy Coulson et al at News International have in the battle between Tony Blair and Gordon Brown? Were they Blair's tame press attack dogs?

The way I heard it (albeit not from somebody I'd trust; ie, a journo) was that Blair and Brown were played off against each other by NI, and then Brooks would glide in and broker a peace, in the process getting favours promised from both sides. Blair and Brown would both think that the other side was leaking, when in fact it was NI getting info from other sources and then attributing it to one camp or the other.

The same person who told me this also mentioned in passing (and this was back in about 2008) that The Sun or NOTW had both Blair and Cherie's medical records, hence how they seemed to have an inside track when Blair had a scare with his heart, and when Cherie got preggers they knew the sex of the baby. My source also said that this almost drove Cherie mad, because she knew what was going on, but couldn't pursue it because Blair wouldn't let her.

If Niccolo Machiavelli were alive today, he'd be working at Wapping.

[RSoovy4]

Breadvan72 said:

That's a pretty remarkable email. Has it been authenticated?

Edit: I see that it has been presented at the trial, and assume that it is Kosher. Blimey!

It certainly suprised me - just goes to show that even senior people have no idea about disclosure!

[RSoovy4]

Oakey said:

I love how the email already contains the outcome of the yet to happen inquiry!

The Bliar way.

Same as the report into that poor bd who committed "suicide".

[Steffan]

On the subject of directions to a Jury this caught my eye:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-26344...

Unconnected in any way and a tragic case in itself but clearly the Judge has decided in effect no case to answer. Motoring case which on PH seemed appropriate. I doubt this will happen in this case but it clearly can and has on one charge already. Wait and see I think. But personally I think the prosecution lacks real bite.

[anonymous-user]

RSoovy4 said:

Breaders old chap.

Do you reckon they'll get potted?

I ducked your question, Soovster. Lawyers, eh? Back atcha: what do you think will happen?

BTW, even though Ms Brookes looks tired and stressed, is leaving off her make up, and is letting her hair blow about in the wind, I sort of still would. Does this make me a bad person?

[EskimoArapaho]

Breadvan72 said:

BTW, even though Ms Brookes looks tired and stressed, is leaving off her make up, and is letting her hair blow about in the wind, I sort of still would.

So glad I have a stronger self-censor than you!