Judge in phone hacking trial blasts David Cameron over Coulson apology

The judge said that Mr Cameron’s intervention was 'unsatisfactory' and set a bad example to the media.

13:38 26 June 2014

Prime Minister David Cameron issued an apology for making Andy Coulson his media chief after the latter was found guilty of conspiring to hack phones on Tuesday. The action has irked the judge handling the phone hacking trial who blasted Mr Cameron saying that his intervention was “unsatisfactory” and that it set a bad example to the media. 

 

He said: "I consider that what has happened is unsatisfactory so far as justice and the rule of law are concerned. 

 

"The press in court have been extremely responsible in their reporting of this case but when politicians regard it as open season, one cannot expect the press to remain silent."

 

Meanwhile, the jury has been discharged after they failed to reach verdicts on outstanding charges against Coulson. On Monday, Mr Justice Saunders will hear whether the Crown Prosecution Service wished to launch a retrial. 

 

Coulson was appointed by the Prime Minister in 2007 as his director of communications. 

 

Coulson was forced to quit in 2011 despite maintaining his innocence about the phone hacking scandal.