Rebekah Brooks Trial

[FrankelInFoal]

I'm no fan of Rebekah Brooks but having watched the news reporting from court today I'm finding myself feeling incredibly sorry for her.

Apparently today she was questioned about her fertility issues. I mean what the hell does that have to do with phone hacking? According to the report I watched she was asked about her problems conceiving with Ross Kemp which prompted her to ask for a break in proceedings and she left the room in tears. Later she was questioned about the surrogacy that she and her current husband had gone through to get their daughter.

Seriously, how is that relevant/appropriate?! If she was a man I sincerely doubt she'd have been asked about such a private matter.

[VivaLeBeaver]

I've no idea how its relevant to her trial but I can't feel sorry for someone who has stitched people up, eavesdropped [allegedly] on conversations and published nasty stuff about people.

I would imagine that Milly Dowlers dad doesn't feel that his use of porn was of public interest but there you go.

[CoffeeTea103]

Yabu, where was the sympathy that she had for all those people whose private lives she invaded? She's Facing up to her karma here.

[VivaLeBeaver]

I guess seeing as she's slept with two of her co defendants then getting details of their relationships are valid. There's also talk/rumours that she had the surrogacy arranged in a bid to try and avoid a jail sentence as she knew this case was looming.

So talking about previous years of ivf is actually in her favour.

[FrankelInFoal]

I dislike everything RB stands for, don't get me wrong, but what the hell could her fertility issues gave to do with this trial? As someone who has been through fertility treatment, I'd be mortified if I was expected to answer questions on it publicly.

[Lighthousekeeping]

I can't feel sorry for her either.

[Chanatan]

Actually it was her defence barrister doing the questioning,so the cynical side of me wonders if it was all part of a plan to garner sympathy for her.

[FrankelInFoal]

So her fertility problems are a punishment? Nice attitude.

[VivaLeBeaver]

Ah, I'm right. It was her barrister who asked these questions. There is an ulterior motive for them. Save your sympathy and don't be fooled by the crocodile tears.

[VivaLeBeaver]

X post with Chanatan.

[Sixweekstowait]

Me neither - I absolutely believe the surrogacy was arranged for the sympathy vote. She had been prepared to ruin people's lives for her own gain and I can only hope she gets what she deserves - she would have printed any story about any

[VivaLeBeaver]

I really doubt that her barrister is treating her like shit.

[Sixweekstowait]

one's fertility issues to further her own career. She is poison - as is Murdoch and the whole NI empire

[Nerfmother]

Was just wondering which side was asking - answered. So, no no sympathy whatsoever, clear attempt at manipulation. Inconceivable she wouldn't have known and practised answering.

[Pumpkinpositive]

I thought Bob Dowler's pornography habit was first raised by the defence at Bellfield's trial, not by NoTW?

[Chanatan]

She would have known when she stepped into the witness box today what questions her barrister was going to ask.She,s playing a part and I for one am not so stupid to be taken in by it.

[wellcoveredsparerib]

But it is her advocate asking these questions. A cynical attempt at manipulation of the jury's sympathy. Why is the judge not calling the barrister on this - its not relevant.

[FrankelInFoal]

As Bugs says, I sincerely doubt that anyone would put themselves through the cost and physical and emotional pain of fertility treatment/IVF/surrogacy simply for the hell of it. It's not exactly a picnic you know.

[KarenBrockman]

I got the impression HER legal team discussed fertility issues to make everyone feel sorry for her, it seems to have worked a treat .

[DarlingGrace]

I think you need to follow the whole trial .... lets be honest, she's trying to save her sorry arse in this, she disclosed details in the hopes of a pity vote .... infertile, affairs, relationships... thus it's a whole misjudgement call when it comes to phone hacking.

[ohmymimi]

There is not one tiny, weeny part of me that could ever feel the remotest pity for Ms Red Top, ever. She's a cheap tabloid hack and, like anyone who infests tabloid hackery, has no soul.

[VivaLeBeaver]

Pumpkinpositive, possibly. I may have picked a poor example off the top of my head. However I'm sure there could be plenty more examples which prove the point. I've never read NOTW but reading about it /seeing headlines in the past is enough.

I don't believe that two wrongs make a right but I don't believe that if you've spent your life screwing people over then you can't complain if its done to you. However seeing as its her own side doing it then this isn't even the case.