The verdicts in the criminal phone-hacking trial against individuals associated with the now-defunct News of the World have been delivered — including the aquittal on all counts of Rebekah Brooks, fomer chief executive of News International, and the conviction of Andy Coulson, her former deputy and former No 10 director of communications, of conspiracy to hack phones.
But the fallout shows no signs of abating. Pending criminal charges for other News UK employees remain — as well as ongoing civil claims over hacking. The spotlight may shift from News UK , however: last week, former BBC creative director Alan Yentob and celebrities including Cilla Black, Davina McCall and Christopher Ecclestone took to the High Court to open civil claims against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN Limited)