Culture of phone hacking, corruption at News of the World, court told REBEKAH BROOKS, the former chief executive of News International, oversaw a culture of phone hacking, corruption and a criminal cover-up during her decade of leadership at the News of the World and The Sun, a court was told yesterday. Politicians, celebrities and members of the British royal family were among thousands who suffered gross invasions of privacy that were allegedly sanctioned by Mrs Brooks, the prosecution claimed.