Former News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks has issued a statement insisting she is not guilty of conspiring to hack voicemail messages.
Brooks has been charged along with other former News of the World journalists Andy Coulson, Stuart Kuttner, Greg Miskiw and Neville Thurlbeck as well as private investigator Glenn Mulcaire with conspiring together with persons unknown to hack the voicemail messages of then missing schoolgirl Milly Dowler between 9 and 21 April 2002.
She said: 'I am not guilty of these charges. I did not authorise, nor was I aware of, phone hacking under my editorship.
"I am distressed and angry that the CPS have reached this decision when they knew all the facts and were in a position to stop the case at this stage. The charge concerning Milly Dowler is particularly upsetting not only as it is untrue but also because I have spent my journalistic career campaigning for victims of crime. I will vigorously defend these allegations."
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