Charlie Brooks (racehorse trainer) on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. They were charged with perverting the course of justice in May 2012. Charlie and Rebekah Brooks appeared in court at the Old Bailey on 26 September 2012. Rebekah Brooks faced three charges and Charlie Brooks one charge of conspiring to pervert the course of justice by concealing material from police officers. Their trial started in October 2013. In Brooks' own defence, his lawyer called him "foolish," "stupid" and "not academically gifted". One character witness, Sara Bradstock, told the court how he drank a pint of washing up liquid to get
Rebekah Brooks past." Andy Coulson stepped in to say that payments were only made lawfully. "The Sun", of which Brooks was editor, subsequently ridiculed Chris Bryant in a number of articles, starting with one about a photograph of him in his underpants from a gay dating website. Brooks later claimed that in her response to Bryant's question she had merely been speaking about the widespread belief that payments had been made to police, and denied having any knowledge of specific payments. According to MPs, Rebekah Brooks refused three times to attend the committee again to be questioned further, resulting in four committee