Editor resigns over royal phone tapping

LONDON – The editor of Britain’s News of the World newspaper announced his resignation Friday over a royal phone tapping scandal that saw one of his top reporters jailed for four months.

Andy Coulson, in charge for four years, said he took the “ultimate responsibility” for the affair. He formally resigned two weeks ago but did not publicly reveal his decision to quit until after the court case concluded.News of the World, a Sunday tabloid, is Britain’s biggest-selling newspaper with a circulation of around 3,3 million copies.The weekly’s royal editor Clive Goodman was jailed for four months for hacking into more than 600 messages on the mobile phones of aides to the royal family, including from Prince William, second in line to the throne.He admitted conspiracy to intercept the messages along with an accompanying researcher, Glenn Mulcaire, 36, in court in November.Mulcaire was jailed for six months.”I have decided that the time has come for me to take ultimate responsibility for the events around the Clive Goodman case,” Coulson said in a statement.”As I’ve said before, his actions were entirely wrong and I deeply regret that they happened on my watch.”I also feel strongly that when the News of the World calls those in public life to account on behalf of its readers, it must have its own house in order.”Colin Myler, a former editor of the rival Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror tabloids, has been appointed editor in his place.Coulson replaced Rebekah Wade as News of the World editor in 2003.She left to edit The Sun, its daily sister tabloid.News of the World is published by News International, the British subsidiary of media baron Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation empire.Les Hinton, News International’s executive chairman, said: “I understand Andy’s logic and accept his resignation with great sadness.”I am sorry events have led to this.Under Andy’s leadership, the News of the World reached great heights.”Nampa-AFPHe formally resigned two weeks ago but did not publicly reveal his decision to quit until after the court case concluded.News of the World, a Sunday tabloid, is Britain’s biggest-selling newspaper with a circulation of around 3,3 million copies.The weekly’s royal editor Clive Goodman was jailed for four months for hacking into more than 600 messages on the mobile phones of aides to the royal family, including from Prince William, second in line to the throne.He admitted conspiracy to intercept the messages along with an accompanying researcher, Glenn Mulcaire, 36, in court in November.Mulcaire was jailed for six months.”I have decided that the time has come for me to take ultimate responsibility for the events around the Clive Goodman case,” Coulson said in a statement.”As I’ve said before, his actions were entirely wrong and I deeply regret that they happened on my watch.”I also feel strongly that when the News of the World calls those in public life to account on behalf of its readers, it must have its own house in order.”Colin Myler, a former editor of the rival Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror tabloids, has been appointed editor in his place.Coulson replaced Rebekah Wade as News of the World editor in 2003.She left to edit The Sun, its daily sister tabloid.News of the World is published by News International, the British subsidiary of media baron Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation empire.Les Hinton, News International’s executive chairman, said: “I understand Andy’s logic and accept his resignation with great sadness.”I am sorry events have led to this.Under Andy’s leadership, the News of the World reached great heights.”Nampa-AFP