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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Lisa O'Carroll

Rebekah Brooks's husband: court case is always on my mind

Rebekah Brooks's husband Charlie has spoken about the anger directed at the couple in the wake of the phone hacking scandal and claimed the police searched their new baby's cot before their arrest earlier this year.

In a lengthy interview with the Racing Post, racehorse trainer Brooks recalls the day of the arrest as the first day of the Cheltenham festival.

"The police turned up at 4.45am, 18 of them. Mass murderers don't get that kind of attention. They searched the baby's cot and dragged both of us off," he said.

He, Brooks and four others appeared at the Old Bailey earlier this week charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, of concealing material from police investigating alleged News of the World phone hacking last July at the height of the scandal.

Separately, she has been charged with conspiracy to unlawfully intercept voicemails, along with seven others including Andy Coulson, David Cameron's former director of communications who was editor of the Sunday tabloid before his move to Downing Street.

"I never get a chance to forget about it, it's always on my mind," Brooks said. "I tell myself I have to focus on the days when I really need to focus on it, when Rebekah's in court, for instance, but of course I can't.

"I might be mowing the lawn or whatever, and it floats back into my mind. I might be thinking about it for another year or more. It's the waiting that gets to you, the ponderous nature of the way these things proceed. I have to learn to accept it.

"It's much harder for Rebekah, she's already lost more than I ever will. I can wander around London and no one knows who I am, whereas she's very recognisable. Bar cutting off all her hair there's not much she can do about it. It makes life very difficult for her.

"We have to recognise that we can't carry on as we did before, because we don't want to be putting ourselves in situations where we can't relax."

• To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".

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