R v Brooks, Coulson and six others is a trial taking place at the Old Bailey arising from the News International phone hacking scandal.

The accused are Rebekah Brooks, Andy Coulson, Charlie Brooks, Clive Goodman, Ian Edmondson, Stuart Kuttner, Cheryl Carter and Mark Hanna.

The trial began on 28 October 2013 and is likely to last several months, possibly until Easter 2014.

At the start of the trial the court was told by counsel for the crown, Andrew Edis QC, that Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson had an affair over a period lasting at least six years from 1998 to 2004, the period when much of the alleged conspiracy is claimed to have taken place.

On 12 December 2013 the judge announced that Ian Edmondson was ill and unlikely to recover for several weeks, so the trial would proceed without dealing with the charges against him, they would be dealt with at a later trial.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]