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Rebekah Brooks Formally Charged With Conspiring To Hack Phones

Rebekah Brooks Formally Charged
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Senior Media Editor, The Huffington Post

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Rebekah Brooks was formally charged on Thursday with conspiring to hack into phones, including that of murdered teenager Milly Dowler.

The former News of the World editor and News International chief appeared at a London police station Thursday night and was charged with three counts. Scotland Yard issued a statement saying that she, along with six associates including former News of the World editor Andy Coulson, former private investigator Glenn Mulcaire and former News of the World reporter Neville Thurlbeck, conspired to hack phones on multiple occasions over a six-year period.

Most damningly, the charges also allege that Brooks was directly involved in the decision to hack into Dowler's voicemail in the days following her disappearance.

The charges came a week after the British Crown Prosecution signalled that it was preparing to formally prosecute Brooks and Coulson over phone hacking. The charges bring Brooks' troubles to a new level, placing her at the very heart of the scandal that has rocked Rupert Murdoch's media empire. She has already been charged, along with her husband, with obstructing the investigation into her role in the affair. The police statement on Thursday listed her as "unemployed."

Brooks is set to appear in court on September 3rd.

Read the full statement on the charges here.

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Rebekah Brooks
Rebekah Brooks, (R) former Chief Executi(01 of24)
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Rebekah Brooks, (R) former Chief Executive of News International, and her husband Charlie Brooks arrive at Southwark Crown Court in London, on June 22, 2012, for a preliminary hearing in which both face charges of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice in relation to the phone hacking scandal. AFP PHOTO / CARL COURT (Photo credit should read CARL COURT/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)
Former News International Chief Executive Rebekah Brooks Appears At Court Charged With Conspiracy To Pervert The Course Of Justice(02 of24)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 22: Rebekah Brooks, former Chief Executive of News International, arrives at Southwark Crown Court in London, on June 22, 2012. Mrs Brooks, the former News International Chief Executive, is charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice in connection with the police investigation into phone hacking at The News of The World newspaper. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Former News International Chief Executive Rebekah Brooks Appears At Court Charged With Conspiracy To Pervert The Course Of Justice(03 of24)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 22: Rebekah Brooks, former Chief Executive of News International, arrives at Southwark Crown Court in London, on June 22, 2012. Mrs Brooks, the former News International Chief Executive, is charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice in connection with the police investigation into phone hacking at The News of The World newspaper. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Former News International Chief Executive Rebekah Brooks Appears At Court Charged With Conspiracy To Pervert The Course Of Justice(04 of24)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 22: Rebekah Brooks, former Chief Executive of News International, arrives at Southwark Crown Court in London, on June 22, 2012. Mrs Brooks, the former News International Chief Executive, is charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice in connection with the police investigation into phone hacking at The News of The World newspaper. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Rebekah Brooks, (R) former Chief Executi(05 of24)
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Rebekah Brooks, (R) former Chief Executive of News International, and her husband Charlie Brooks, leave Westminster Magistrates Court in London, on June 13, 2012. Rebekah Brooks, the former aide to Rupert Murdoch and editor of the News of the World, appeared in a British court for the first time on Wednesday to face charges relating to the phone-hacking scandal. Her racehorse trainer husband Charlie Brooks was also at Westminster Magistrates Court in London, where the couple both face charges of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. AFP PHOTO / ANDREW COWIE (Photo credit should read Andrew Cowie/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)
Rebekah Brooks(06 of24)
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Former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks, leaves after appearing at Southwark Crown court on charges relating to the phone hacking scandal, in London, Friday, June 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (credit:AP)
Rebekah Brooks, (C) former Chief Executi(07 of24)
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Rebekah Brooks, (C) former Chief Executive of News International, and her husband Charlie Brooks (Centre R) leave Southwark Crown Court in London, on June 22, 2012, after a preliminary hearing in which both face charges of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice in relation to the phone hacking scandal. AFP PHOTO / CARL COURT (Photo credit should read CARL COURT/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)
Rebekah Brooks Gets Condemned To The Stocks At The London Dungeon(08 of24)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 25: A model poses as Rebekah Brooks as she is condemned to the stocks after being voted as the least loved public figure at The London Dungeon on June 25, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Tim Whitby/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Rebekah Brooks, former Chief Executive o(09 of24)
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Rebekah Brooks, former Chief Executive of News International, arrives at Westminster Magistrates Court in London, on June 13, 2012. Rebekah Brooks, the former aide to Rupert Murdoch and editor of the News of the World, appeared in a British court for the first time on Wednesday to face charges relating to the phone-hacking scandal. Her racehorse trainer husband Charlie Brooks was also at Westminster Magistrates Court in London, where the couple both face charges of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. AFP PHOTO / CARL COURT (Photo credit should read CARL COURT/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)
Charlie Brooks, (2nd L) husband of forme(10 of24)
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Charlie Brooks, (2nd L) husband of former chief executive of News International, Rebekah Brooks, leaves after addressing the media outside a lawyers office in London, on May 15, 2012. Former Rupert Murdoch aide Rebekah Brooks, her husband and four others were charged on Tuesday with trying to conceal evidence in the first prosecutions to emerge from Britain's phone hacking scandal. AFP PHOTO/CARL COURT (Photo credit should read CARL COURT/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)
Rebekah Brooks, (R) former Chief Executi(11 of24)
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Rebekah Brooks, (R) former Chief Executive of News International, and her husband Charlie Brooks address the media outside a lawyers office in London, on May 15, 2012. Former Rupert Murdoch aide Rebekah Brooks, her husband and four others were charged on Tuesday with trying to conceal evidence in the first prosecutions to emerge from Britain's phone hacking scandal. AFP PHOTO/CARL COURT (Photo credit should read CARL COURT/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)
Rebekah Brooks Is Charged With Perverting The Course Of Justice(12 of24)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 15: Rebekah Brooks and her husband Charlie Brooks leave their solicitors to speak to reporters on May 15, 2012 in London, England. Mrs Brooks, former editor of the News of the World newspaper, and her husband Charlie Brooks, have been charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice in connection with the phone hacking inquiry. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Former Chief Executive Of News International Rebekah Brooks Gives Evidence To The Leveson Inquiry(13 of24)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 11: Rebekah Brooks and her husband Charlie Brooks leave the High Court after giving evidence to the Leveson Inquiry into press standards on May 11, 2012 in London, England. Mrs Brooks, the former Chief Executive of News International and editor of the Sun and News of the World newspapers was questioned on her alleged close links with Prime Minister David Cameron. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Former Chief Executive Of News International Rebekah Brooks Gives Evidence To The Leveson Inquiry(14 of24)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 11: Rebekah Brooks leaves the High Court after giving evidence to the Leveson Inquiry into press standards on May 11, 2012 in London, England. Mrs Brooks, the former Chief Executive of News International and editor of the Sun and News of the World newspapers was questioned on her alleged close links with Prime Minister David Cameron. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Newbury Races(15 of24)
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NEWBURY, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 26: Rebekah Brooks, former Chief Executive of News International with husband Charlie Brooks arrives at Newbury racecourse on November 26, 2011 in Newbury, England. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Entrants In The Kettlewell Scarecrow Festival(16 of24)
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KETTLEWELL, ENGLAND - AUGUST 13: A scarecrow dressed as the former News International Chief Executive Rebekah Brooks stands as part of the annual scarecrow festival on August 13, 2011 in Kettlewell, England. During the two week festival the rural Yorkshire Dales village comes to life with both traditional scarecrows and more modern takes, including parodies of current affairs and celebrites. (Photo by Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Former News International Chief Executiv(17 of24)
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Former News International Chief Executive Rebekah Brooks leaves the Houses of Parliament in London, on July 19, 2011, after giving evidence to a Parliamentary Select Committee on the phone hacking scandal. A protester hit Rupert Murdoch with a foam pie Tuesday as the media mogul testified to British lawmakers on the phone-hacking scandal, in a bizarre finale to what he called the 'most humble day of my life.' AFP PHOTO / CARL COURT (Photo credit should read CARL COURT/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
(FILES) A file picture taken on July 10,(18 of24)
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(FILES) A file picture taken on July 10, 2011, shows Rebekah Brooks (R) former Chief Executive of News International and Rupert Murdoch Chairman of News Corporation in London. Rupert Murdoch resigns on July 21, 2012 as director of News International, the UK operation of News Corporation and publisher of several UK newspapers. AFP Photo/ Max NASH/FILES (Photo credit should read MAX NASH/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)
The Investigation Into The News Of The World Phone Hacking Allegations Continues(19 of24)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 07: News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks leaves the office of The News of The World on July 7, 2011 in London, England. Following further serious allegations that phone hacking was widespread at the News of the World newspaper, Chief Executive of News Crop. James Murdoch has announced the newspaper will close.. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Chief Executive of News International an(20 of24)
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Chief Executive of News International and former editor of Britain's News of the World newspaper Rebekah Brooks (Top L) attends the semi final match between Serbian player Novak Djokovic and French player Jo-Wilfried Tsonga during the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Tennis Club, in south-west London, on July 1, 2011. Britain's News of the World tabloid will print its last ever edition on Sunday July 10, 2011, following a scandal over phone hacking, owner Rupert Murdoch's son James Murdoch said Thursday July 7, 2011. AFP PHOTO/LEON NEAL/RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo credit should read LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Rebecca Wade, (R) editor of Britain's Su(21 of24)
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LONDON, United Kingdom: Rebecca Wade, (R) editor of Britain's Sun newspaper and her husband Ross Kemp watch a tennis match on Centre Court between Croatia's Mario Ancic and Switzerland's Roger Federer in the men's quarter-finals of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, in south London, 05 July 2006. AFP PHOTO/CARL DE SOUZA (Photo credit should read CARL DE SOUZA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
David And Victoria Party - Pre World Cup Party(22 of24)
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SAWBRIDGEWORTH, ENGLAND - MAY 21: The Sun newspaper editor Rebecca Wade arrives at David and Victoria Beckham's Pre- World Cup Party on May 21, 2006 in Sawbridgeworth, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Australian media tycoon Rupert Murdoch ((23 of24)
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Australian media tycoon Rupert Murdoch (R) and 'The Sun' editor Rebekah Wade (background L) attend a church service at St Brides church in central London ,15 June 2005. St Brides church off Fleet street was host to a service for news agency Reuters moving out of the traditional media village, leaving Agence France-Presse the last major newsgatherer still keeping their newsroom there. (Photo credit should read ODD ANDERSEN/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Rebekah Wade, editor of the tabloid "The(24 of24)
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Rebekah Wade, editor of the tabloid 'The Sun' attends a church service at St. Brides church in central London, 15 June 2005. St Brides church off Fleet street was host to a service for news agency Reuters moving out of the traditional media village, leaving Agence France-Presse the last major newsgatherer still keeping their newsroom there. AFP PHOTO/ODD ANDERSEN (Photo credit should read ODD ANDERSEN/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
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