Hacking trial: 'Rebekah Brooks spent $250,000 for interview with Hugh Grant prostitute'

 
Infamous: Hugh Grant was arrested after being caught an allegedly sexual encounter in a car with Divine Brown
Paul Cheston20 February 2014
WEST END FINAL

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Rebekah Brooks told the Old Bailey today how she spent £250,000 securing an interview with the prostitute arrested in Hollywood with Hugh Grant.

She told the jury she was desperate to get the exclusive story on the alleged encounter with Divine Brown and “I felt it was the right thing to do”.

At that time in July 1995 Brooks was features editor of the News of the World and had a weekly budget of £50-60,000 a week, the court heard.

Brown and Grant had been arrested by Los Angeles police in an allegedly sexual encounter in a car and every tabloid newspaper wanted the full story.

Once a deal had been secured for Brown to be paid $100,000, Brooks had to ensure the competitors could not get to their prize asset.

She agreed to fly the prostitute to a safe house in the Nevada desert and Brown insisted on her entire family coming to. “Divine Brown was very smart. She wanted to take a lot of her family with her, including cousins,” said Brooks.

“We were worried we had left a trail, so we moved the whole family again before publication day. It was the thought of not getting the story and having to face the editor. You ended up having to make decisions on the hoof. In all, the cost to the paper was about $250,000.”

All the defendants have denied all the charges. The case continues.

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