Journalist Peter Jukes, named Britain’s best reporter on social media and Twitter, is to write an “uncensored” account of the phone hacking trial, to be published shortly after the verdicts.
Peter Jukes, a former award-winning dramatist, has live-tweeted all 29 weeks of the trial of Rebekah Brooks, Andy Coulson and five other defendants at London’s Old Bailey since October 2013.
Provisionally titled The Inside Story of the Hacking Trial, his definitive, full-length book will contain all the material he has been legally barred from publishing so far.
The book will be sold in four formats, including an e-book priced £8.99, from www.hackingtrial.com.
Described as “a heady mix of royalty, celebrity and politicians”, the phone hacking trial has delved deep into the newsroom culture of Britain’s best-selling tabloid papers, the News of the World and the Sun”.
Court 12 has heard claims of industrial criminality, corporate cover-up and misogynistic witch-hunt. Mr Justice Saunders began his summing up yesterday.
Peter Jukes, who funded his coverage from public donations, said:
“In the past nine months, I’ve published almost half a million words about Regina v. Rebekah Brooks & Others – in tweets of 140 words or less. But there has been much more I have not been able to report.
“This book will tell the full sweeping, uncensored story of the most extraordinary case to come before the English courts in years.”
The book will be published by Canbury Press, founded by Martin Hickman, formerly a reporter with The Independent.
The four formats are e-book for quick release; first edition signed paperback with free e-book; the above with a dedication in the paperback and an invite to the launch party with special guests; and an access-all-areas pass.
Selling the book through a bespoke website rather than Amazon will give author and publisher a higher share of royalties.
Hickman, who wrote Dial M for Murdoch with the MP Tom Watson, said: “Peter’s innovative funding of his coverage has opened a chink of light in what have been dark times for journalism.
“Just as he pioneered crowd-funding, we’re hoping that selling this book direct to the public will find a new way to fund hard-hitting and engrossing longer-form journalism.
“Having attended the trial every day myself, I know he’s got an eyebrow-lifting tale to tell.”
The full title of The Inside Story of the Phone Hacking Trial will be revealed when legal restrictions are lifted in the next few weeks.
Peter Jukes – named best reporter on Twitter and social media by Press Gazette in April and whose blog was nominated a month later for best UK news site by the London Press Club – talks about book here:
Pre-order the book from www.hackingtrial.com
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