Rebekah Brooks To Find Out Whether CPS Will Prosecute

PA  |  Posted: 15/05/2012 07:52 Updated: 15/05/2012 07:53   PA

Rebekah Brooks
Rebekah Brooks will find out whether she will be prosecuted

Former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks finds out on Tuesday if she will be charged with perverting the course of justice during the phone-hacking scandal.

Brooks and six other suspects - including her racehorse trainer husband Charlie and the company's head of security Mark Hanna - will learn their fate as they answer bail, it is understood.

Her former PA, Cheryl Carter, a News International chauffeur and two security consultants are also expected to be included in the 10am announcement by the Crown Prosecution Service.

The extensive Metropolitan Police inquiry into phone hacking and corruption has yet to launch any prosecutions since it began in January last year.

Brooks, a Warrington-born high-flyer in Rupert Murdoch's media empire, is one of the most high-profile figures in the newspaper industry.

The decision from prosecutors comes days after she lifted the lid about her close relationship with the Prime Minister as she gave evidence at the Leveson Inquiry into press standards.

David Cameron had a habit of signing off texts "lots of love" to Brooks, and sent her a message urging her to "keep your head up" when she resigned over the phone-hacking scandal.

Brooks became News of the World editor in 2000 aged 31, landed the top job at The Sun in 2003 and was appointed chief executive of News International in 2009 before quitting in July 2011.

Days later she was arrested over alleged phone-hacking and corruption offences for which she remains on bail without charge.

She was arrested again in March in connection with the separate perverting the course of justice allegation, with her husband and four others.

Mr Brooks, who has been a columnist for the Daily Telegraph as well as writing a novel entitled Citizen, met his wife at a party with Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson.

Carter, who was personal assistant for Brooks during 19 years of service before she left News International last summer, was arrested on January 6.

The charges relate to one of five files - totalling at least 20 suspects - being considered by the director of public prosecutions.

Keir Starmer QC said he was facing "very difficult and sensitive decisions" as he predicted more cases were coming his way.

Police launched Operation Weeting, the inquiry devoted specifically to phone hacking, after receiving "significant new information" from News International on January 26 last year.

Operation Elveden was launched months later after officers were given documents suggesting News International journalists made illegal payments to police officers.

Officers also launched three related operations: the Sasha inquiry into allegations of perverting the course of justice; Kilo, an inquiry into police leaks; and Tuleta, the investigation into computer-related offences, as the inquiry escalated.

Metropolitan Police figures showed there were 829 potential victims of phone hacking, of whom 231 were said to be uncontactable.

The scandal has already led to the closure of the News of the World after 168 years, prompted a major public inquiry, and forced the resignation of Met Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson and his assistant John Yates.

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12:12 PM on 05/15/2012
Just as a News International refresher. Remember back in 1996 when Murdoch lived in Australia. Tony Blair flew out to see him, so say in order to get his support for Labour in their 1997 General Election campaign. Murdoch is far too wise a street fighter to look that gift horse in the mouth without a return. What was promised in return? Who can say, but strangely Murdoch did subsquently gain major control of satellite broadcasting in the UK. Maybe Mr Milliband should remember that old English saying of 'People in Glass Houses shouldn't Throw Stones! Of course, He was just a boy when that happened, but I do think he should tread a little more carefully with his present criticism of Government Ministers.
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Theatrixnyc
Remember John Lennon:Power To The People!
04:20 PM on 05/17/2012
Mr Milliband should remember that old English saying of 'People in Glass Houses shouldn't Throw Stones!
**
I wouldn't look for him to back down, anytime soon.
11:13 AM on 05/15/2012
Just heard that Brooks is to be done for the 'phone hacking actions that happened while she was in charge at The Sun. Best news I've heard so far this week! The woman has been a nasty, vicious and vindictive 'witch' who justly deserves to be exposed for what she really is. The 'puritan' outfit worn this week at the Enquiry didn't fool anyone. Whilst some years ago Ron Davies' 'looking for badgers' statement was foolishly naive, the 'witch' had clearly plotted to destroy Ron's political career, and ran that 'badger-watching' story almost daily for some weeks. As The Sun photographer knew the exact day, time and location in Gloucestershire at which Ron was to be photographed, that raises the next question...how did she know? Did she also have his phone hacked in order to know when he would be there? The answer is quite clear! So let's have three cheers for a free press, and the downfall of a person who has clearly threatened and manipulated politicians of all colours over the last decade.
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10:09 AM on 05/15/2012
Its not Murdoch that will save her but the l;awyers odds are the CPS will run from decent lawyers or mount a prosecution and muck it up either way the CPS are her get out jail free card
09:30 AM on 05/15/2012
This is the proof of the pudding, where we will see how much influence Murdoch still wields with the police, Cameron, and the Tory party. If Brooks is given a pass it will be clear that the Leveson inquiry, like the series of such inquiries before it. was merely a very expensive and slightly embarrassing spectacle whose purpose was to convey the appearance of justice being done but was simply a charade all along.
09:19 AM on 05/15/2012
Throw the book at her, she has no legitimate defence and is as guilty as the rest of News Corp. She cannot claim no knowledge of the offences of phone hacking as she was the head of the operation and either knew what was going on or was negligent in her duties by not know what her staff were doing , either way she is guilty.
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northern git
fed up with all the political crap in life
08:49 AM on 05/15/2012
If charges are not brought against this woman it would suggest to me that either she has something over those that decide on prosecution or not OR the CPS is toothless.

If the latter then we can expect all media to be at it

If nerther then agencies profiling personal data protection will have a field day
08:38 AM on 05/15/2012
If no charges are brought in this case, i beleive that some very strange forces are at work here.
northern git
fed up with all the political crap in life
08:51 AM on 05/15/2012
totally agree

corruption would feature highly in my opinion and if last night's Dispatches programme on 4 is anything to go by the best place would to be dead, no ones life would be their own