November 13, 2013

George Best’s son Calum received £3,000 to talk about the ex Manchester United player’s death, court told

Hacking victim Calum Best was paid thousands of pounds by the News of the World for articles about his father's death, a court has heard.

The Old Bailey was told that the 32-year-old celebrity received around £3,000 for two stories after ex Manchester United player George Best died in November 2005.

The American-born former model, who was allegedly hacked on the orders of former NoW editor Andy Coulson and head of news Ian Edmondson, admitted he had "actively encouraged" some media intrusion into his personal life.

Answering questions from Tim Langdale QC, representing Coulson, Best also acknowledged he had free-spending habits.

Langdale asked Best: "You were someone who tended to spend what money you got rather than investing it?

"You could say that," Best said.

"You were a bit reckless on the financial side of spending your money?"

"Yes, I suppose you could say that's fair," he answered.

The jury was also shown one of Mulcaire's logs regarding Best with "FAO Ian Edmondson. Private!!" scrawled across it.

Former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks, 45, of Churchill, Oxfordshire; ex News of the World editor Andy Coulson, also 45, from Charing in Kent; former NoW head of news Ian Edmondson, 44, from Raynes Park, south west London; and the tabloid's ex-managing editor Stuart Kuttner, 73, from Woodford Green, Essex, are all on trial accused of conspiring with others to hack phones between 3 October 2000 and 9 August 2006.

Former NoW and Sun editor Brooks is also accused of two counts of conspiring with others to commit misconduct in public office – one between 1 January 2004 and 31 January 2012 and the other between 9 February 2006 and 16 October 2008 – linked to alleged inappropriate payments to public officials.

She faces another two allegations of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice – one with her former personal assistant Cheryl Carter, 49, from Chelmsford in Essex, between 6 July and 9 July 2011; and a second with her husband, Charles Brooks, and former head of security at News International, Mark Hanna, and others between 15 July and 19 July 2011.

Coulson is also facing two allegations that he conspired with former NoW royal editor Clive Goodman, 56, from Addlestone in Surrey, and other unknown people to commit misconduct in public office – between 31 August 2002 and 31 January 2003, and between 31 January and 3 June 2005.

All of the accused deny all of the charges.

The trial continues.