In Hacking Trial, Editor's Lawyers Dispute Account

Nov. 5, 2013 3:21 p.m. ETLONDON—-Lawyers representing former News Corp NWSA +0.59% News Corp Cl A U.S.: Nasdaq $17.79 +0.10 +0.59% Nov. 6, 2013 9:54 am Volume (Delayed 15m) : 46,887 P/E Ratio N/A Market Cap $10.32 Billion Dividend Yield N/A Rev. per Employee $370,458 11/05/13 Britain Doesn’t Need a Press R… 11/05/13 Lawyers for Rebekah Brooks Dis… 11/04/13 U.K. Prosecutors: Brooks Consp… More quote details and news » NWSA in Your Value Your Change Short position executive Rebekah Brooks challenged the narrative presented by prosecutors surrounding the publication of an article in the now-defunct News of the World about missing teenager Milly Dowler —her defense team’s first salvo in a criminal trial here involving phone-hacking.
Ms. Brooks, a one-time top lieutenant to News Corp Executive Chairman Rupert Murdoch, was editor of the News of the World when employees obtained Miss Dowler’s cellphone messages in 2002. Revelations that the paper had hacked the voice mail of a young crime victim, who turned out to be murdered, led to a public outcry. Mr. Murdoch apologized for the paper’s action and closed the tabloid in 2011. Ms. Brooks also resigned as chief executive of News Corp’s U.K. newspaper division.
The Dowler phone hacking became a central focus in a much larger probe into the practice, culminating in the criminal trial here of Ms. Brooks and seven other defendants. Prosecutors have accused them of various charges related to the hacking. Ms. Brooks has pleaded not guilty to five charges related to illegally intercepting voice messages, bribery and obstruction of justice.

Tuesday’s court session at London’s central criminal court, known as the Old Bailey, focused on the 2002 publication of a News of the World article about Miss Dowler that mentioned her voice mail. Prosecutors had earlier painted a picture in which they said Ms. Brooks was in frequent communication with the paper’s news desk while the story was being prepared and while she was on vacation in Dubai. Prosecutors contend that the frequent communication was an indication that Ms. Brooks was aware of the hacking.
Ms. Brooks’s lawyer, Jonathan Laidlaw, however, sought to distance his client from the story. He said that her frequent contact with the paper’s news desk was unrelated to the story about Miss Dowler.
Ms. Brooks’s discussions with the news desk were about an actor in the popular British television show “EastEnders,” Mr. Laidlaw said. Mr. Laidlaw added that the close contact she had with the News of the World news desk wasn’t unusual for the then-editor when she traveled.
Prosecutors have said that contact between Ms. Brooks and the news desk included two text messages with Andy Coulson, the deputy editor of News of the World, sent between the publication of the first and second editions of the Milly Dowler story. The paper’s early editions contained detailed quotes from voice mails left on Miss Dowler’s phone, but the article in the final edition contained only one passing reference to a voice mail.
The communications amid the changes in the story were another indication that Ms. Brooks knew about the hacking, prosecutors have said.
Mr. Coulson, who later went on to work as British Prime Minister David Cameron’s top communications aide, has pleaded not guilty to three counts related to phone hacking and bribery.
Seeking to bolster their case, the prosecution called as a witness William Hennessey, who said he had met with Ms. Brooks during her vacation in Dubai. Mr. Hennessey said Ms. Brooks had excused herself from drinks to make a phone call about “the missing Surrey girl,” referring to Miss Dowler.
Mr. Laidlaw, Ms. Brooks’ attorney, said his client had no recollection of this conversation.
The jury Tuesday also heard that the News of the World’s then-managing editor, Stuart Kuttner, told police in 2002 that the newspaper had listened to Miss Dowler’s voice mails. According to a press liaison for Surrey police who testified, Mr. Kuttner told police officers that the newspaper had obtained her phone number and code to access her voice mails. The police force had been investigating Miss Dowler’s disappearance at the time.
A previous report compiled by the Surrey police showed staff from News of the World made it clear to British police in 2002 that they had access to voice-mails from Miss Dowler’s mobile phone. Surrey police in April apologized to the Dowler family for not investigating the phone hacking when it happened, according to a statement. Surrey Police said Tuesday it wouldn’t comment because of the ongoing trial.
The police force had been investigating Miss Dowler’s disappearance at the time.
Mr. Kuttner, who also is on trial, has pleaded not guilty to phone hacking.
News Corp, which owns The Wall Street Journal, was part of a larger company also called News Corp., which in June split in two, spinning off its television, movie and entertainment businesses into a new company, 21st Century Fox. FOXA +1.94% 21st Century Fox Inc. Cl A U.S.: Nasdaq $34.75 +0.66 +1.94% Nov. 6, 2013 9:54 am Volume (Delayed 15m) : 1.54M P/E Ratio 13.32 Market Cap $75.58 Billion Dividend Yield 0.72% Rev. per Employee $1,298,280 11/05/13 21st Century Fox’s Profit Sink… 10/31/13 Animation Studio Tries for a H… 10/31/13 Disney’s Mouse Has Room to Roa… More quote details and news » FOXA in Your Value Your Change Short position
Write to Jenny Gross at jenny.gross@wsj.com

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