Former News International chief and No 10 spin doctor, plus 12 others, face charges linked to phone-hacking investigation

Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson have been told at the Old Bailey that they are not due to face a full trial until a year from now, in a hearing at which the former News of the World editors appeared in the dock.

The woman who was most recently chief executive of News International and the man who acted as David Cameron's director of communications at No 10 were given a proposed trial date of 9 September2013 by Mr Justice Fulford, who is presiding over two batches of charges against them and 12 others.

The two former editors and the remaining defendants spoke only to confirm their names at the beginning of the hearing in a crowded dock in court one. All 14 were bailed at the end of the hearing.

Brooks sat impassively on her own at the back of the dock during an hour-long hearing that gave directions for the management of the two cases, which involve the 14 defendants.

Coulson sat in the front row flanked by three of his co-defendants, all former colleagues at the News of the World. The former assistant editor (news) Ian Edmondson sat on his right with the ex-assistant news editor James Weatherup and the former chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck on his left.

Court one was packed with lawyers, mostly representing the defendants, with three rows of 18 wigged barristers present.

Andrew Edis QC led for the crown; next week he will do the same in the trial of Chris Huhne MP and his former wife, Vicky Pryce, who are accused of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

John Kelsey-Fry QC, who previously successfully defended Harry Redknapp, was acting for Brooks. Clare Montgomery QC, who is acting for the Swedish government in its battle to extradite Julian Assange, was representing Coulson.

Andy Coulson arrives at the Old Bailey. Photograph: EPA

Brooks was dressed in a black and cream outfit while Coulson wore a grey suit and blue tie.

Coulson, Brooks and six others have been charged with conspiring to hack phones. Brooks also faces three charges of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Six others face one charge of conspiring to pervert the course of justice, including her husband Charlie, her former personal assistant Cheryl Carter and her ex-chauffeur Paul Edwards. All have been accused of agreeing to conceal evidence from detectives investigating phone hacking in July 2011.

The phone-hacking related charges follow an investigation by officers working as part of the Metropolitan police's Operation Weeting. Apart from Coulson and Brooks, the others facing phone-hacking-related charges are Edmondson, Weatherup, Thurlbeck, the former News of the World managing editor Stuart Kuttner, the former news editor Greg Miskiw and a private investigator, Glenn Mulcaire.

Kuttner faces three charges, while Miskiw faces 10 charges, Edmondson 12 charges, Thurlbeck eight and Weatherup eight. Mulcaire is charged with allegedly hacking the voicemails of four people: Milly Dowler, Andrew Gilchrist, Delia Smith and the Rt Hon Charles Clarke.

Carter sat behind Coulson in the second row along with Miskiw, while the third row was occupied by Brooks's husband Charlie, a racehorse trainer, and Mark Hanna, the head of security at News International.

Hanna, former security guard Daryl Jorsling and Lee Sandell, who worked for a company used by News International for security, also face the same charges of trying to conceal evidence from detectives in July 2012 at the height of the phone-hacking scandal.

There was initial confusion when all defendants present were invited to come into the dock in no particular order. It transpired there was insufficient room, leaving Edwards and Jorsling to step outside the dock and sit in officials' benches to the left.

After an hour of legal discussion, Fulford ordered a further hearing for 12-13 December before a possible full trial in September next year.