Trial date set for former NotW editor Rebekah Brooks and husband

FORMER News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks and her racehorse trainer husband Charlie yesterday made their first appearance in court on charges relating to the phone hacking scandal.

Mrs Brooks, 44, of Churchill, Oxfordshire, and her husband Charlie, 49, were bailed to appear for a preliminary hearing at Southwark Crown Court on 22 June.

Mrs Brooks, who passed through security without having to queue at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, faces three charges of conspiring to pervert the course of justice,

Her husband is charged with one count of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

Mrs Brooks is accused of removing boxes of material from the News International archive and trying to conceal documents, computers and other material from Operation Weeting, Scotland Yard’s inquiry into the phone hacking scandal at the media company’s News of the World title. She became editor of the paper at the age of 31 in 2000.

Also appearing at the court yesterday were Mrs Brooks’ former personal assistant Cheryl Carter, 48, of Chelmsford, Essex; head of security at News International Mark Hanna, 49, of Buckingham, Buckinghamshire; Mrs Brooks’ chauffeur Paul Edwards, 47, of Bethnal Green, east London; and security consultant Daryl Jorsling, 39, of Aldershot, Hampshire.

They all face a single charge of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

Mrs Brooks was wearing a navy jacket and skirt and a green scarf with a pattern of skulls on it, and sat between her husband and Ms Carter.

District Judge Howard Riddle told the defendants: “Your case is sent for trial at Southwark Crown Court and the first hearing will be on 22 June.

“You should be there no later than 9:30am.

“If you do not turn up on time you commit an offence and lose your bail, and in some circumstances the trial could continue in your absence.”