Journalist in court on phone hacking charges

THE Royal editor of the News of the World made his first court appearance yesterday on charges of mobile phone hacking.

Clive Goodman, who has been suspended from his job, is accused of one count of conspiring to intercept voicemail messages and eight counts of intercepting voicemail messages.

The offences are alleged to have taken place between January 1 last year and August 9 this year.