The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Brooks‘relieved’to resign
REBEKAH BROOKS was “relieved” when her husband revealed she was being asked to resign as News International chief executive over the phone hacking scandal, a court has heard.
Charles Brooks, of Churchill, Oxfordshire, said he broke the news to his wife that she was being asked to step down after he had been contacted by the company’s then chairman James Murdoch.
Giving evidence in his defence at the Old Bailey, Brooks told the jury he received a phone call from Mr Murdoch, the son of media mogul Rupert, who said he felt Rebekah should quit.
“James Murdoch now felt Rebekah should resign and not take a leave of absence,” he said.
Brooks then phoned his wife to break the news, the jury heard, before she left her post on July 15 2011.
“It was quite an ironic call really because Rebekah said ‘Thank God for that’,” Brooks said.
“I think Rebekah was relieved. She had been telling them that all along.”
Earlier, racehorse trainer Brooks said the couple were “appalled and disgusted” by revelations that murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler’s phone had been hacked.
He told the court that Mrs Brooks had suffered with “paranoia” about being arrested in a dawn raid and she was desperate to avoid the “killer photograph” of her being led away in handcuffs.
Asked by his defence lawyer Neil Saunders what the “killer photograph” meant, Brooks replied: “The career-ending photo.
“The photo of you being led from home or Heathrow Airport handcuffed by police. “You’re never going to get another job.” All seven defendants in the trial deny the charges against them.
The trial was adjourned until Monday.