The hacking trial jury has been discharged after failing to reach verdicts on two charges against former No 10 spin doctor Andy Coulson of conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office by paying police officers for two royal directories.
The hacking trial judge asked David Cameron for an explanation over his "ill-advised and premature intervention" in the case and was told by his principal private secretary: "The Prime Minister was responding to the guilty verdict on hacking charges that had been delivered in open court.
"He did this in the light of the intense media coverage and understandable public interest."
But the judge said Mr Cameron had "missed the point" and revealed information the jury had not been told during the trial for legal reasons.
"My sole concern is to ensure that justice is done. Politicians have other imperatives and I understand that. Whether the political imperative was such that statements could not await all the verdicts, I leave to others to judge."
David Cameron has been criticised by the phone hacking trial judge for discussing Andy Coulson while the jury was still considering charges.
As the phone hacking trial jury is discharged, here are some surprising facts about the eight-month case.