Former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks is expected to find out tomorrow if she will be charged with perverting the course of justice during the phone-hacking scandal.
It is understood Mrs Brooks and six other people - including her racehorse trainer husband Charlie and the company’s head of security Mark Hanna - will learn their fate as they answer bail tomorrow.
Her former PA, Cheryl Carter, a News International chauffeur and two security consultants are also expected to be included in the 10am announcement by the Crown Prosecution Service.
The extensive Metropolitan Police inquiry into phone hacking and corruption has yet to launch any prosecutions since it began in January last year.
Mrs Brooks, a former high-flyer in Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, is one of the most high-profile figures in the newspaper industry. She is the former editor of the Sun and of the News of the World.
The decision from prosecutors comes days after she lifted the lid about her close relationship with the Prime Minister as she gave evidence at the Leveson Inquiry into press standards.
David Cameron had a habit of signing off texts “lots of love” to Mrs Brooks, and sent her a supportive message when she resigned over the phone-hacking scandal.
Mrs Brooks became News of the World editor in 2000 aged 31, landed the top job at the Sun in 2003 and was appointed chief executive of News International in 2009 before quitting in July 2011.
Days later she was arrested over alleged phone-hacking and corruption, offences for which she remains on bail without charge.
She was arrested again in March in connection with the separate perverting the course of justice allegation, with her husband and the five others.
Mr Brooks, who has been a columnist for the Daily Telegraph as well as writing a novel entitled Citizen, met his wife at a party with Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson.
Ms Carter, who was personal assistant for Mrs Brooks during 19 years of service before she left News International last summer, was arrested on January 6th.
The charges relate to one of five files - totalling at least 20 suspects - being considered by the director of public prosecutions.
Keir Starmer QC said he was facing “very difficult and sensitive decisions” as he predicted more cases were coming his way.
Police launched Operation Weeting, the inquiry devoted specifically to phone hacking, after receiving “significant new information” from News International on January 26th last year.
Operation Elveden was launched months later after officers were given documents suggesting News International journalists made illegal payments to police officers.
Officers also launched three related operations: the Sasha inquiry into allegations of perverting the course of justice; Kilo, an inquiry into police leaks; and Tuleta, the investigation into computer-related offences, as the inquiry escalated.
Metropolitan Police figures showed there were 829 potential victims of phone hacking, of whom 231 were said to be uncontactable.
The scandal has already led to the closure of the News of the World after 168 years, prompted a major public inquiry, and forced the resignation of Met Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson and his assistant John Yates.
PA