Coulson admits hearing hacked Blunkett voicemails

Andy Coulson has admitted for the first time to hearing the voicemails of former Home Secretary David Blunkett while working at the News of the World.

The newspaper's former editor told the hacking trial he was played parts of the messages by chief reporter Neville Thurbeck, who was attempting to expose Mr Blunkett's affair with a married woman.

Mr Coulson said he was "shocked" to hear of the hacking, and initially demanded a complete stop to the investigation.

However, the Old Bailey heard that he was later convinced that it was in the public interest for the affair to be revealed and eventually confronted Mr Blunkett about it.

Mr Coulson faces one count of conspiring to hack phones and two counts of conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office. He denies all charges.