Coulson and Brooks will next appear in March. File picture: PA Wire

Brooks and Coulson to appear in court over corrupt payments

Thursday, December 6, 2012
7:03 AM

Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson and ex-News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks will appear in court today to face charges over alleged corrupt payments to public officials.

The pair is among five people due to appear at the Old Bailey accused of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office.

Coulson, 44 and ex-News of the World royal correspondent Clive Goodman, 55, are charged with conspiracy to pay for information including a royal phone directory known as the “Green Book”.

They also face two counts of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office - one between August 31, 2002 and January 31, 2003, and the other between January 31 and June 3, 2005.

Brooks, 44, and former Sun chief reporter John Kay, 69, are charged with conspiring to pay Ministry of Defence employee Bettina Jordan-Barber around £100,000 for information.

The three each face one count of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office between January 1, 2004 and January 31 this year.

That relates to allegations that Jordan-Barber, 39, was paid to provide information to the Sun newspaper.