View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Media Law
April 14, 2014

Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson enters hacking trial witness box

By Press Association and Press Gazette

Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson went into the witness box today to defend himself against allegations of conspiracies to hack phones and pay public officials for stories.
Coulson, of Charing, Kent, followed co-defendant Rebekah Brooks as editor of the now-defunct Sunday tabloid between 2003 and 2007, the Old Bailey trial has heard.
In 2002, while Brooks was on holiday, Coulson, then her deputy, was in charge when murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler's phone was hacked, jurors have been told.
He resigned after former royal editor Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire were convicted of hacking, the court has previously heard.
The 46-year-old former Downing Street media adviser denies one count of conspiring with Brooks, former managing editor Stuart Kuttner and others to hack phones between 2000 and 2006 as well of two counts of conspiring with Goodman and others to commit misconduct in a public office.
Coulson told the court he was born and raised in Essex. He left school at 18 and went to join his local paper, the Basildon Evening Echo.
He told the jury: "I was all set to join the air force – my father was in the air force and one of my brothers. I got some work experience on the local paper via a friend and fell in love with it really."
He went on to join The Sun at the age of 21, having done shifts there while he was still at the local paper, he told the court. While there he edited the Bizarre showbiz page, he said.
Coulson said many of the stories in the Bizarre pages came from contacts, whether they were celebrities, their PR agents, their managers, or those around them.
He said: "Contacts are the most important thing for any journalist, regardless of what area they work in."
He later added: "For me, the most important thing during my time at The Sun was to get the story but also to do it in a way to maintain a relationship. It was the way I worked."

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network