Rebekah Brooks cleared of all charges.

[NickiFury]

Well I was NOT expecting that.

Web chat with Rebekah MN? How about it?

[ouryve]

Someone commented on twitter that she should be used for flood defences.

[TheSarcasticFringehead]

Wow.

[TheSarcasticFringehead]

Mind you, she knows a whole lot of important people and has a sob story. Not as surprising as it should be, I think.

[TheFairyCaravan]

How the fuck did that happen?

[Meglet]

How awfully convenient .

[NickiFury]

Guess it's not that unexpected. She knows where all the bodies are buried.

[chockbic]

Sure is who you know in that world.

[CQ]

Andy Coulson was thrown under the bus, clearly

[Ginfox]

Didn't think she'd get a prison sentence, but still can't believe she's been cleared of all charges.

Expect Coulson will spend his time inside writing his memoirs... should be an illuminating read.

[AWombWithoutARoof]

Is paying police officers for info a criminal offence? Because she's admitted to that in the past hasn't she?

[ShatnersBassoon]

I really didn't expect it either. I feel a bit disheartened.

[donnie]

I feel more than disheartened; I find it almost unbelievable.

No doubt Rupert paid for the lawyers.

Justice not served IMO.

[roundandround51]

Conspiracy is a very difficult charge to prove - am not really surprised.

[TheOneWithTheNicestSmile]

yeah, but if one of the accused is guilty of conspiracy, who did he conspire with if not the other accused???

[thecuntureshow]

I wonder if she'll sue anyone for libel

< Hint >

[roundandround51]

Am not saying its right or wrong but its a difficult charge to prove

[Icimoi]

I wonder if she'll sue anyone for libel

Most unlikely. The standard of proof in libel proceedings is lower than in criminal proceedings, therefore it would be entirely possible for a libel jury to come to a different verdict from the criminal jury. She wouldn't risk it.

[VivaLeBeaver]

I wasn't expecting it either. I'm amazed some have been found guilty and others not.

[VivaLeBeaver]

What's the betting the Brookses get divorced within the next 12 months.

[BackOnlyBriefly]

I bet she's really glad she loaned David Cameron that horse now.

[Ohwhatfuckeryisthis]

Get outta here! My faith in the justice system is confirmed.

[MrsMaturin]

I'm not surprised at all. I told dh months ago that this would be the outcome and he doubted me but I was right. This was a complex case and as much as the prosecution tried to make it appear straightforward the evidence against her wasn't significant enough. There was zero chance of the PA and the husband going down - his porn explanation was perfectly reasonable and executive secretaries move papers around all the time. Not everything is a conspiracy.

I'm actually sort of pleased. I don't think for a minute this crew were doing anything in their day to day working lives that wasn't also being done by many others in the tabloid industry. There's been a lot of hypocrisy in the reporting of this case and there has also been a fair dose of misogyny too.

[ohmymimi]

I'm naïve enough, remarkably, to be truly shocked. However, the news of the day is that Meriam is to be released, that matters far more.

I hope Brooks slinks off to the obscurity she deserves.

[TheOneWithTheNicestSmile]

However, the news of the day is that Meriam is to be released, that matters far more

Released again, I hope?

[TheOneWithTheNicestSmile]

Does this mean that he also committed perjury?

I can't remember any of his testimony but I'm sure there were times when he insisted that emails which appeared to implicate him meant something entirely different.