Phone-hacking trial: CCTV 'reveals plot to hide evidence'

PROSECUTORS in the phone-hacking trial have released CCTV clips that appear to show Rebekah Brooks's husband and News International's former head of security hiding material from the police.

The clips show footage of an alleged plot by Rebekah Brooks, Charlie Brooks and Mark Hanna to conceal evidence before police searched the Brooks's London flat in the summer of 2011, claimed the prosecution.

The first CCTV images show Charlie Brooks in the basement car park beneath the couple's flat at Chelsea Harbour, west London, at 12.14 on Sunday 17 July 2011 – the same day his wife was arrested, reports The Independent.

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He is seen clutching a brown Jiffy bag and laptop computer and walks out of shot in the direction of a rubbish bin. Within less than a minute, he walks back to the lift empty-handed.

Further clips were shown of material later being retrieved from the bin area by Hanna shortly before police arrived to search the couple's flat, they are seen leaving with computers, boxes and bags.

Another member of the NI security team then returns with a black bin bag after the police have left and allegedly leaves it hidden behind the bins, where it is found the next day by a cleaner and given to the police, the jury heard.

Over the last week, the court also heard how Rebekah Brooks's two personal assistants "effectively ran her life". Cheryl Carter, who has been charged with one count of conspiring to pervert the course of justice, and Deborah Keegan were tasked with everything from getting her bottled water in the mornings to withdrawing cash and dealing with her mortgages, the Old Bailey heard.

News International was also said to have had its office swept for bugs in 2011, reports The Guardian. The defence said this was partly because of concerns about a rival newspaper trying to steal their scoops and partly because News Corp was trying to increase its shareholding in BSkyB at the time.

Rebekah Brooks, Charlie Brooks, Hanna and Carter deny conspiring to pervert the course of justice. The trial continues.