Andy Coulson knew about Daniel Craig phone hacking, trial hears

Video report by ITV News correspondent Juliet Bremner

A former News of the World reporter has described in court listening to the voicemails of James Bond actor Daniel Craig, uncovering his alleged affair with Sienna Miller, who was in a relationship with Jude Law at the time.

Craig was one of a host of celebrities Dan Evans admitted that he targeted after he joined the newspaper from the Sunday Mirror in 2005, also including Sol Campbell, Rolf Harris, Kelly Hoppen, Jade Goody and Steven Gerrard's agent, the hacking trial heard.

He told the trial that the then-editor Andy Coulson knew about the hacking and had even given directions to Evans about how to hide the information from Craig's voicemail, by making it appear as if a tape of it had been handed in anonymously.

Describing hacking into Craig's voicemail, Evans said: "I heard a female voice saying 'Hi, it's me. Cannot speak, I'm at the Groucho with Jude. I love you'."

He checked the number on his database and found it was Sienna Miller's, he said.

"I went to work on Tuesday wagging my tail and I told (NotW journalist), did you know Sienna Miller is having an affair with Daniel Craig?" Evans said.

He told the court that he put together a story to show then-editor Coulson. Another NotW journalist was onto the same story, providing corroboration for it, he said.

Asked by prosecutor Andrew Edis QC what the response was to the Sienna story, he said:

"They said 'good work'. (NotW journalist) said to me 'You are a company man now'."

Evans said he was told by Coulson to make a copy of his recorded voicemail message, put it in a Jiffy bag and take it to reception so it would look like it had been dropped off anonymously.

Then another NotW journalist picked it up with "mock surprise" saying "look what I've found", Evans said.

After Law had been alerted, Evans listened into another voicemail to Craig this time from Law saying: 'Thanks, mate. I hope Saski (his then-girlfriend Satsuki Mitchell) doesn't find out.'

The story was run past Law's public relations executive who "approved" it and it ran in the NotW the following week in October 2005, Evans told the court.

Asked by Mr Edis who knew about hacking from Evans's direct personal knowledge and experience, the witness gave 10 names of NotW staff, including Coulson.

Evans was made redundant when the NotW closed down in July 2011 and received the same payout as everyone else, he said.

The court heard that Evans has already admitted conspiracy to hack phones whilst working at the Sunday Mirror between February 2003 and January 2005, and the same offence at the News of the World between April 2004 and June 2010.

He also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office between January 2008 and June 2010, and perverting the course of justice by giving a false statement in High Court proceedings.

Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson, 46, a PR consultant of Charing, Kent, denies conspiring to hack phones and conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office.

All seven defendants in the case, including former Sun and News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks, deny all the charges against them.

The jury were sent home and the trial adjourned until 10am tomorrow.