Mark Hanna, director of security at News International, and a security consultant have been charged by the Crown Prosecution Service with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
Hanna, 49, is one of six people to be charged by the CPS today. The others are Rebekah Brooks, former chief executive of News International, her husband Charles Brooks, her assistant Cheryl Carter, her chauffeur Paul Edwards and Daryl Jorsling. Jorsling, 39, was hired by News International and provided security for Mrs Brooks.
Alison Levitt, QC, principal legal adviser to the Director of Public Prosecutions made a statement regarding the charges “in the interests of transparency and accountability to explain the decision to charge”.
Levitt said there were three charges:
Charge one – conspiracy to pervert the course of justice: “Rebekah Brooks between 6 July and 19 July 2011 conspired with Charles Brooks, Cheryl Carter, Mark Hanna, Paul Edwards, Daryl Jorsling and persons unknown to conceal material from officers of the Metropolitan Police Service.”
Charge two – conspiracy to pervert the course of justice: “Rebekah Brooks and Cheryl Carter between 6 July and 9 July 2011 conspired together permanently to remove seven boxes of material from the archive of News International.”
Charge three – conspiracy to pervert the course of justice: “Rebekah Brooks, Charles Brooks, Mark Hanna, Paul Edwards and Daryl Jorsling conspired together and with persons unknown, between 15 July and 19 July 2011, to conceal documents, computers and other electronic equipment from officers of the Metropolitan Police Service.”
“All these matters relate to the ongoing police investigation into allegations of phone hacking and corruption of public officials in relation to the News of the World and The Sun newspapers,” she said.
A seventh unnamed individual, also described by the CPS as a security provider, was not charged
“May I remind all concerned that these six individuals now will be charged with criminal offences and that each has a right to a fair trial. It is very important that nothing is said, or reported, which could prejudice that trial. For these reasons it would be inappropriate for me to comment further,” Levitt said.
Hanna said in a statement: “As the CPS said in that statement, I am entitled to a fair trial. I am also innocent of the charges against me and I have no doubt that ultimately justice will prevail and I will be totally exonerated. I will say nothing more on this matter until then and would ask for my privacy and that of my family to be respected.”
Hanna has over 18 years experience in corporate security and prior to joining News International in April 2009 was vice president (head of security) at the financial institution, Nomura International.
Prior to that he worked for Wilson James, the manned security services company. Before that he was in the military where he was involved in explosives, close observation and royal protection.
Hanna is also on the editorial board of Professional Security magazine. He was also a judge of the 2011 Security Excellence Awards, organised by UBM and Info4Security.com.
As a member of the Security Institute, he got News International to take the gold sponsorship of the Security Institute’s 2010 annual conference.
In 2004 while at Nomura, Hanna started LISTEN, the London Intelligence Shared Transferred (via) Electronic Network which aims to share intelligence, hold regular seminars and provide a networking opportunity for security professionals.
