London, May 15 (IANS) Rebekah Brooks, former editor of the News of the World (Now), and her husband Charlie were Tuesday formally charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice over the phone-hacking inquiry, BBC reported.
Three of Brooks's staff, and News International security head Mark Hanna, were also charged with the offence. They will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court June 13 charged with offences that include concealing documents and computers from police, the report added.
Brooks and her husband said the decision was "unjust".
The charges, which relate to alleged offences in last July, are the first in an inquiry lasting 18 months -- over 40 other people remain on police bail in the investigation.
Brooks was editor of the NoW when voicemails on murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler's mobile phone were allegedly intercepted. The case created a storm in Britain.
She stepped down as chief executive of News International in July 2011 -- the same month as the alleged conspiracy offences, after the phone-hacking scandal, led to the paper's closure.
Brooks has denied any knowledge of phone hacking on her watch.
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