Murdoch’s firm may face hacking charges as Brooks tipped for return

RUPERT Murdoch’s UK newspaper publishing company could face corporate charges over the phone hacking scandal, it emerged last night, as speculation grew that former chief executive Rebekah Brooks is poised for a comeback at the firm.

Detectives involved in Operation Weeting have handed over their file on News International – now named News UK – to the Crown Prosecution Service and it will be up to the CPS whether to bring charges.

The phone hacking scandal erupted in 2011 when it emerged that journalists at the News of the World had intercepted the voicemails of thousands of people including those of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler.

It led to the closure of the paper and a series of criminal charges against journalists and executives from the company, including Mrs Brooks a former Sun and News of the World editor.

But while her one-time deputy, Andy Coulson, was convicted of conspiracy to hack phones and jailed for 18 months, Mrs Brooks was cleared of any wrongdoing following an eight-month trial.

The 47-year-old, who has a threeyear-old daughter with her racehorse trainer husband Charlie, received £16 million in severance payments, after being forced to step down from her role.

Despite her acquittal, any return to the company she had joined as a secretary looked unlikely as News UK concentrated on restoring its reputation.

But it subsequently emerged that Mrs Brooks had once again been courted by Mr Murdoch and was gradually being brought back into the fold.

She has been working in the background on News UK’s digital strategy, and is now expected to be unveiled as the new chief executive as early as next week.

It was also widely rumoured that her reappointment would be combined with The Sun’s editor, David Dinsmore, being promoted to her deputy.

A spokesman for the CPS said: “We have received a full file of evidence for consideration of corporate liability charges relating to the Operation Weeting phone-hacking investigation.”

A spokesman for the Metropolitan police said: “On 23 July, following an investigation into phone hacking at the

News of the World, detectives from Op Weeting submitted a file to the CPS for their consideration.”

Two years ago the US Justice Department announced that Mr Murdoch’s New York based company, News Corp, would not face corporate charges in the United States.

A spokesman for News UK declined to comment.