London - Prime Minister David Cameron’s ex-media chief and
Rupert Murdoch’s former UK newspaper boss are to be charged with phone-hacking
offences in the most significant development in a scandal that has rocked
Britain’s establishment.
Prosecutors said on Tuesday Andy Coulson, who was Cameron’s
communications chief from 2007 until January 2011, and Rebekah Brooks, who was
courted by a succession of prime ministers including Cameron in her role as
Murdoch’s UK newspaper chief, would be charged with offences linked to the
hacking.
The alleged offences were committed when both were editor of
the News of the World newspaper, the Sunday tabloid which Murdoch was forced to
close last July amid public revulsion at the phone-hacking revelations.
Six other former News of the World journalists and staff are
also to be charged.