Proceedings resumed after the lunch break to hear further evidence from the former News of the World royal editor Clive Goodman. The advocate depute, Richard Goddard, began the session by showing the jury an November 2005 email in which the defendant agreed to extend the “Matey trial” by another month. Goodman told the court that “Matey” was in fact phone-hacker Glenn Mulcaire. The witness told the court that there were risks in publishing a story only based on phone-hacking as it “would start to become obvious where the story came from.”
The jury was then shown another email from Goodman to Coulson on the Prince Harry story which said in part: “As we know it’s a 100% fact..I think it is a bit precise to get through unnoticed.” The witness said that he had to “disguise” the story to conceal that it originated from an interception of a voicemail on the phone of a royal aide. In an later email Goodman described Prince Harry asking for help with an essay as: “phone a friend on ‘Who wants to be a Brigadier.”
The next email from Goodman to Coulson describes Prince William as being “out beagling ” but notes “will be difficult to stand up. The witness said he could not recall if he received the lead from phone hacking as it was a “minor story” from a “long time ago.” After the weekly retainer was removed Goodman emailed Coulson arguing that getting information from Matey was “safe productive and cost effective and I’m confident it will become a big story goldmine for us.” The mail also listed stories Goodman told the court had came from phone hacking which were: “William shot in ambush,” “William Food parcels,” “Kate on the town pics,” and “Royal cops search Kate’s flat.” Goodman also said that other stories that came from phone hacking included: “Wills baby boom with Kate,” “Diana Film Row,” and Fergie and Geldolf ski holiday.” However despite Goodman’s plea, the court held, the weekly payments to Mulcaire ended in Febuary 2006 and he was only rewarded on a case by case basis.
Asked what stories he sourced from phone-hacking at that time Goodman cited an article about Prince William being drunk at Prince Harry’s passing out parade party at Sandhurst and being sent to his room by a senior officer. Asked about another email to Coulson were he discusses having to “blag a confession” the witness said he could not recall the context other than that there was “an incident with Prince Harry and some girl.”
Goodman then told the court he was arrested in 8 August 2006 and his mobile phone was seized. The jury was then shown text messages from phone hacker Glenn Mulcaire that were found on the phone which alternate between requests for money and lists of “pin” numbers for royal related voicemail accounts including “Kate,” “Harry,” and royal aide Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton. Goodman said that phone-hacking was not directly talked about at editorial conferences but “issues around it” were. The witness said he had been at one conference were Coulson issued instructions that phone-hacking not be discussed in future.
Goodman then told the court that when he was arrested he did not have a lawyer but one, Henry Brandman, was supplied to him by News International.
At this point counsel for Andy Coulson, Murdo MacLeod then rose to make a legal point and the jury was sent home for the day
Mr Coulson denies all of the charges against him, the trial continues.