The papers in relation to the journalists were referred by the police to the CPS in April 2012. They received evidence over the last two months from the police in relation to 13 individuals.
Alison Levitt QC, Principal Legal Advisor to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) announced that eight individuals would face a total of nineteen charges. All, with the exception of Glenn Mulcaire, will be charged with conspiring to intercept communications without lawful authority, from 3 October 2000 to 9 August 2006. There will be a schedule of over 600 victims.
There will be additional charges as follows:
- Rebekah Brooks will face two additional charges, the first relates to the voicemails of the late Milly Dowler and the second to the voicemails of Andrew Gilchrist.
- Andrew Coulson will face four additional charges, relating to Milly Dowler, the Rt Hon David Blunkett MP, the Rt Hon Charles Clarke, and Calum Best.
- Stuart Kuttner will face two additional charges, relating to Milly Dowler and the Rt Hon David Blunkett MP.
- Greg Miskiw will face nine further charges, relating to Milly Dowler, Sven-Goran Eriksson, Abigail Titmuss and John Leslie, Andrew Gilchrist, the Rt Hon David Blunkett MP, Delia Smith, the Rt Hon Charles Clarke, Jude Law, Sadie Frost and Sienna Miller, and Wayne Rooney
- Ian Edmondson will face a further eleven charges, relating to the Rt Hon David Blunkett MP, the Rt Hon Charles Clarke, Jude Law, Sadie Frost and Sienna Miller, Mark Oaten, Wayne Rooney, Calum Best, the Rt Hon Dame Tessa Jowell MP and David Mills, the Rt Hon Lord Prescott, Professor John Tulloch, Lord Frederick Windsor, Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills.
- Neville Thurlbeck will face a further seven charges in relation to the following victims or groups of victims: Milly Dowler, Sven-Goran Eriksson, the Rt Hon David Blunkett MP, the Rt Hon Charles Clarke, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, Mark Oaten, the Rt Hon Dame Tessa Jowell MP and David Mills.
- James Weatherup will face a further seven charges in relation tothe Rt Hon David Blunkett MP, the Rt Hon Charles Clarke, Jude Law, Sadie Frost and Sienna Miller, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, Wayne Rooney, the Rt Hon Lord Prescott, Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills
Glenn Mulcaire has already pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge and cannot be prosecuted again, but he faces four charges, relating to Milly Dowler, Andrew Gilchrist, Delia Smith, and the Rt Hon Charles Clarke
The CPS has decided that there is insufficient evidence to charge 3 remaining suspects and there are 2 further individuals in relation to whom further enquiries are being made.
Ms Levitt QC said
“The eleven suspects have this morning been informed of my decision. They are all due to answer their bail at police stations. When they do so, the eight whom I have already named will be charged. Following charge, these individuals will appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on a date to be determined.
The police intend to contact all the victims who will then be told that their names appear on the indictment. Once all have been informed the full list of those whom the prosecution says were victims will be made available”.
Mr Coulson, who was forced to step down as Prime Minister David Cameron’s director of communications in January 2011, has already been charged with perjury by Strathclyde Police in connection with evidence he gave under oath at the trial of former Member of the Scottish Parliament, Tommy Sheridan.
Mrs Brooks and her husband Charlie have already been charged with perverting the course of justice following allegations that they tried to destroy evidence related to the inquiry.