Brooks ‘said yes to bribe for dead soldiers’ names’

The jury at the Old Bailey heard that the ex-Sun and NotW editor also allegedly authorised journalists to pay a member of the armed forces for a picture of Prince William wearing a bikini.

Prosecutor Andrew Edis QC outlined the details as part of the charges Brooks is facing for allegedly conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office.

The former NI chief executive denies the charges, as well as allegations of phone hacking.

Mr Edis told the jury that in 2006 while editor of The Sun, Brooks authorised payments to an official who gave details about dead soldiers out before they were officially announced by the MoD.

The court was told about a series of emails to Brooks asking her to authorise various cash payments.

“These are emails which reveal what Mrs Brooks knew when she authorised the payments and the fact that she did authorise the payments and we know from the timeline what the payments refer to and the fact that they were made,” said Mr Edis.

The court heard that Brooks also authorised a journalist at The Sun to pay a member of the armed forces £4,000 for a picture of William in a bikini in June 2006.

Mr Edis said an email from the journalist was forwarded to Brooks, which said: “My best contact at Sandhurst who has provided some great stuff over a period of months is offering us a picture of William at a James Bond party dressed as a Bond girl.

“He is wearing a bikini and an open Hawaiian shirt.”

The court had earlier heard how the News of the World used phone hacking to get stories on the royals, including a claim Prince Harry had broken rules at Sandhurst by asking an aide for help with an essay. Mr Edis said the story came from a voicemail illegally accessed by private investigator Glenn Mulcaire for former royal editor Clive Goodman.

Jurors Harry had left a private voicemail message for his private secretary Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, asking for help.

The tabloid also obtained information about Prince William getting “shot” during a training exercise in Aldershot, which was also allegedly obtained from a phone hack.

Jurors were also told that a top aide to the Prince of Wales was targeted by the NotW journalists, chasing false rumours that the Royal’s private secretary Sir Michael Peat was having an affair.

Prosecutors claim that Goodman paid for two copies of a Royal telephone directory from palace police officers, with the funds allegedly authorised by Andy Coulson.

As he continued to outline the case, Mr Edis told the court how Coulson had also ordered his former head of news “do his phone”, as the newspaper tried to investigate Calum Best, son of footballer George Best.

Brooks, 45, of Churchill, Oxfordshire; Coulson, also 45, from Charing in Kent; former NotW head of news Edmondson, 44, from Raynes Park, south west London; and the tabloid’s ex-managing editor Stuart Kuttner, 73, from Woodford Green, Essex, all deny conspiring with others to hack phones between October 3 2000 and August 9 2006.

Former News International chief executive Brooks is also accused of two counts of conspiring with others to commit misconduct in public office through payments to public officials.

Coulson also faces allegations that he conspired with Goodman, 56, from Addlestone in Surrey, to commit misconduct in public office . Brooks also faces two allegations of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

The trial continues.