Phone-hacking became public knowledge in 2006 when the tabloid‘s former royal editor Clive Goodman and Mulcaire admitted they had hacked the phones of royal aides. The paper said at the time Goodman was a rogue reporter acting alone.
Coulson quit the paper after they were jailed, denying that he had knowledge of their illegal activity. Within months he began working for Cameron in opposition and joined him in Downing Street after the 2010 election.