Jude Law told ‘relative sold your secrets’

The sensational revelation came as the Hollywood star gave evidence at the Old Bailey in London.

Former government spin doctor Andy Coulson, who was editor of the News of the World (NotW)from 2003 to 2007, is accused of conspiring to hack phones between October 3, 2000, and August 9, 2006, along with ex-News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks, 45, and former NotW managing editor Stuart Kuttner, 73.

Mr Law was quizzed by Coulson’s lawyer, Timothy Langdale QC, about a story about his then-girlfriend Sienna Miller having an affair with actor Daniel Craig.

The lawyer wrote down a name of a source on a piece of paper to show him and the name was not read in court.

Mr Law told the jury he had discovered last autumn that the relative had passed on information, but had never heard claims they had been paid.

He said: “I was made aware very recently that there had been some kind of communication with this person and several others in and around and about this period of time. I was never aware any money had been exchanged.”

He told the court he first became aware of rumours of the affair around the time the couple went to Miss Miller’s sister Savannah’s wedding in the West Country and Mr Law was shown NotW articles headlined “Sienna Cheats On Jude” and “Layer Fake”.

Mr Law, wearing a grey suit, white shirt and blue spotted tie, spoke in a clear, confident voice.

There was a ripple of laughter when asked to read an article, he replied: “I would rather not.”

The jury heard that he had telephoned Mr Craig to confront him about the affair and suggested he should tell his own girlfriend, Satsuki Mitchell, about it.

But he could not remember whether that was before or after the paper broke the story and he had not left a voicemail about it.

Asked if he was aware that anyone around him was leaking stories, he said: “No, I did not know that anyone around me was talking to the newspapers, although I suspected it because there was such a flow of information... I suspected many people over that period of time.”

He was also shown the names of a friend who is a publicist and an employee who it is claimed passed information to the press.

Miss Miller first alerted him to the claims about the employee in 2011 or 2012, Mr Law said.

Earlier, he described to the jury that the media had “an unhealthy amount of information” about his life and that packs of photographers would follow him around even when he made secret arrangements.

The 41-year-old Cold Mountain star described how press attention began to intensify when he was nominated for an Oscar for The Talented Mr Ripley in 2001.

It grew throughout his divorce from Sadie Frost and then during his relationship with Miss Miller, he told the court.

Mr Law said: “There seemed to be an unhealthy amount of information that people, or someone, had that meant they had access to my life and my whereabouts, what I was doing and who I was with.”

He added: “I became aware that I was also turning up at places having arranged to go there secretly ... and the media were already there, or photographers were already there.”

The press interest also followed him when he went to the United States, where he worked filming Cold Mountain and Alfie in 2003, the court heard.

He said when police showed him notes that private investigator Glenn Mulcaire held about him, he “was shocked to see the amount of information that had been accumulated”, but he added: “Sadly it didn’t surprise me because it seemed apparent from what had been written (in the press).”

The actor, who is currently appearing in a West End production of Henry V, gave evidence for just over an hour.

The trial, which began at the end of October and is expected to last until May, is due to continue today.

[email protected]