Brooks feels vindicated after phone-hacking acquittal

REBEKAH BROOKS, the former chief executive of News International, said yesterday that she felt ‘‘vindicated’’ after being cleared at the Old Bailey and extended her gratitude to the jury for its unanimous verdicts.

Brooks, 46, looked tired and became emotional as she acknowledged that the past three years, in which she was placed at the centre of the News of the World phone-hacking scandal, had been ‘‘tough’’.

Speaking publicly for the first time since she was cleared of spearheading three separate criminal conspiracies, she said: ‘‘I am innocent of the crimes I was charged with and I feel vindicated by the unanimous verdicts.’’

Brooks paused to compose herself before continuing: ‘‘When I was arrested, it was in the middle of a maelstrom of controversy, of politics and of comment. Some of that was fair but much of it was not, so I am very grateful to the

Charlie Brooks jury for coming to their decision.’’

Her husband, Charlie Brooks, 51, a racehorse trainer, who put his arm around her in support, was more strident. Charlie Brooks, who was cleared of helping his wife hide evidence at the height of the 2011 phone-hacking scandal, lashed out at the multimillion-pound police investi- gation. Speaking outside the £5 million townhouse they rented during the trial, he said: ‘‘Rebekah has been through an unprecedented investigation of an incredibly forensic and personal nature. And I would just like to say how proud I am of Rebekah and the dignity she has shown.’’

When the couple were charged in May 2012, they denounced the ‘‘weak and unjust decision’’ and questioned the ‘‘unprecedented posturing’’ of the Crown Prosecution Service after it made the announcement live on television.

Charlie Brooks said: ‘‘Everything, absolutely everything we said two years ago has proved to be true.’’ Asked if he stood by his previous comments that it was a witch-hunt, he nodded emphatically and replied: ‘‘Yes’’.

The couple were speaking as Rupert Murdoch, the chairman of News Corporation, flew into London for a pre-arranged visit to his newspaper company, which includes The Times. He is understood to have retained his support of Brooks during the trial.

Asked if she had any message for Andy Coulson, her former News of the World deputy and onoff lover who was found guilty this week, Rebekah Brooks did not reply, but Charlie Brooks said: ‘‘Obviously, I am concerned for Andy and [his wife] Eloise and their family. I would like to say I’m very sad.’’

The eight-month trial, which cost up to £100 million, exposed serial phone-hacking at the newspaper and police believe there are up to 5500 possible victims. Rebekah Brooks did not answer direct questions about the victims of phone-hacking but said: ‘‘The last few years have been tough for both of us and for those closest to us. But, more importantly, they have been tough for everybody on all sides that have been affected by the issues . . . We have always tried to put our troubles in perspective.’’