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November 13, 2013updated 14 Nov 2013 3:00pm

Model paid by NoW conceived George Best’s grandchild on the night before his funeral, court told

By Press Association

A former model became pregnant after having sex with Calum Best the night before George Best’s funeral, a court heard.

Lorna Hogan told the Old Bailey that she was paid by the News of the World for “any bits of gossip or information” she could pick up on celebrities.

The court heard that Hogan received “£3,000, £4,000, £5,000 up to £10,000” for stories sold to the newspaper.

Hogan told the court that she first met the ex-Manchester United star’s son in early 2006 in a nightclub and was with him for about two months.

The former model claims that during this time she became pregnant with her daughter, which is denied by Best.

She said: "I met Calum on numerous occasions over a couple of years and we got together for a short period of time. I got pregnant and had a daughter by him.”

Hogan claims she got pregnant after the pair had sex the night before George Best's memorial service in March 2006, leading Calum to turn up late the next day.

She then handed a scan of her unborn daughter to the newspaper for an exclusive after meeting Edmondson for lunch, although she claimed to have received no money for the image.

Best is claimed to have heard about this before the story went out on 21 May 2006 through contacts at the NoW and sent her a text saying: "How could you be so low to sell a picture of an unborn child?"

The court previously heard that Edmondson allegedly tasked private investigator Glenn Mulcaire with hacking Best to obtain information.

Earlier, the court heard that Best (pictured above at his father's funeral) had also been paid around £2,000 for a story about an incident between him and Mick Jagger's daughter Elizabeth in a Soho nightclub.

Asked whether he had got used to reading articles about his personal life, he told the jury: "Correct, but I will say that you never really get used to it."

There is no evidence that he was ever hacked, but Mulcaire "blagged" Best's number and Coulson allegedly told Edmondson to "do his phone" when it was suggested Best may be a "leak".

Police found mention of Best in Mulcaire's notes beside the word "Fiji", where he was filming reality TV show Celebrity Love Island at the time together with his mobile phone details.

All of the defendants deny all of the charges.

The trial continues.

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