Andy Coulson

Who is Andy Coulson?

Andrew Edward Coulson is an English journalist and political strategist. In June 2014 he was found guilty of conspiracy to intercept voicemails. He was sentenced on July 4, 2014 to 18 months in prison. On June 30, 2014, it was announced that he would face a retrial over two counts of conspiring to cause misconduct in public office in relation to the alleged purchase of confidential royal phone directories in 2005 from a palace police officer, after the jury in the original trial was unable to reach a verdict on them.

Coulson was the editor of the News of the World from 2003 until his resignation in 2007, following the conviction of one of the newspaper's reporters in relation to illegal phone-hacking.

He subsequently joined David Cameron's personnel as communications director, until announcing his departure on 21 January 2011 because of continued media coverage of the phone-hacking affair. He was replaced on 2 February 2011 by former BBC Global News Controller of English Craig Oliver. Coulson was arrested by the Metropolitan Police Service on 8 July 2011 "in connection with allegations of corruption and phone hacking".