A former News of the World reporter, who has admitted phone hacking, described in court how he sought a deal with police to avoid being prosecuted for his role in the scandal.
Dan Evans, 38, initially lied about his phone hacking activities, after he was accused of attempting to listen to the voicemail of interior designer Kelly Hoppen.
In civil proceedings in August 2011 he claimed his Nokia phone had been faulty, something that was described in court as the “sticky keys defence”.
But just months later, he changed his story, admitting his role in hacking and agreeing to cooperate with police in a bid to seek immunity from prosecution.
Mr Evans, who appeared as a prosecution witness, claimed Andy Coulson, the News of the World’s former editor, knew about his phone hacking activities.
Related ArticlesPhone hacking journalist: I turned to drink and drugs to self-medicate stress
29 Jan 2014Andy Coulson became 'animated' after hearing Sienna Miller in hacked voicemail, court told
28 Jan 2014News of the World reporter told: 'Jump off cliff if you can't get stories', trial hears
28 Jan 2014Sunday Mirror 'hacked phones on a grand scale'
27 Jan 2014He told the jury: “I did not broadcast it because that would have been crass but everybody knew.
“The truth is that Andy Coulson knew exactly what was going on on his watch.”
Mr Evans said he was sorry he had lied about hacking initially, claiming he had been a “very frightened man” who had not known what to do at the time.
The Old Bailey heard how Mr Evans had told his lawyers: “My ultimate goal is that there is not evidence against me and prosecution.”
He also told police that he had wanted to “look his children in the eye” and get back on the “right path in life”.
Earlier in the trial the jury was told how Mr Evans had hacked the phone of James Bond actor, Daniel Craig and had recorded a message from Jude Law’s girlfriend Sienna Miller, telling him she loved him.
He had told the court that after playing the tape in the News of the World office, Mr Coulson became animated and declared it “brilliant”.
But under cross-examination from Mr Coulson’s barrister, Timothy Langdale QC, Mr Evans was forced to admit that he had been “paraphrasing” when describing the incident.
Mr Langdale said: “Yesterday you told this court Mr Coulson, when you played the voicemail message of Sienna Miller, to you said, ‘Brilliant’. Is that truthful evidence?”
Mr Evans replied: “That is truthful. The exact word may be paraphrasing.”
Mr Langdale said: “You have got a bit of a habit of doing that.”
Pressed about why he had initially lied about the hacking of Miss Hoppen’s phone, Mr Evans said he had been “toeing the line” but added: “I bitterly regret I did not take a braver course of action at the time.”
Mr Evans joined the News of the World in 2005 after being poached from the rival tabloid the Sunday Mirror.
The former tabloid reporter, who has been in therapy for the last 18-months, claimed he had turned to drink and drugs to “self-medicate” amid the stress of phone hacking.
He told the court: “The secret made me unhappy. Carrying an enormous secret and delving into the lives of people who did not deserve it made me unhappy.
The court has heard that he has admitted conspiracy to hack phones at the Sunday Mirror between February 2003 and January 2005, and the same offence at the News of the World between April 2004 and June 2010.
He also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office between January 2008 and June 2010, and perverting the course of justice by giving a false statement in High Court proceedings.
Mr Coulson, 46, from Charing, Kent, denies conspiring to hack phones and conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office.
Seven defendants, including former Sun and News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks, deny all the charges against them.
Phone HackingNews »UK News »Crime »Martin Evans »View the Original article
