Andy Coulson to face Crown Court in September

Seven people, including David Cameron's former communications chief Andy Coulson, have today (August 16) heard that they will have to appear before the Crown Court next month to face phone hacking charges.

Former News of the World editor Coulson appeared before Westminster Magistrates' Court this morning alongside five other former employees of the paper and a private investigator.

The accused journalists included ex-News of the World managing editor Stuart Kuttner, former news editor Greg Miskiw, former head of news Ian Edmondson, ex-chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck and former reporter James Weatherup.

Private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, who was jailed on hacking charges in 2007, also appeared in court this morning.

The seven men face one general charge of phone hacking between October 2000 and August 2006, with up to 600 different victims allegedly affected. Certain individuals are also facing additional, more specific charges.

Coulson, for example, stands accused of a total of four extra charges relating to the alleged hacking of the mobile phone of schoolgirl Milly Dowler after she disappeared in 2002, MPs David Blunkett and Charles Clarke, and George Best's son Calum Best.

The cases were adjourned until September 26 at Southwark Crown Court.

All seven people are now on bail subject to several conditions, including that they must not talk to each other.

Rebekah Brooks, the former News of the World editor and ex-chief executive of publisher News International is due in court on September 3, where she will face one general hacking charge, along with more specific counts related to Dowler and former trade union boss Andy Gilchrist.