Rebekah Brooks resigns in wake of NOTW phone-hacking scandal

NI Chief Mrs Brooks bows to pressures saying she feels 'a deep sense of responsibility for the people we've hurt'

Former News International CEO Rebekah Brooks has sensationally resigned, telling staff via internal email: 'I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt.

'I now need to concentrate on correcting the distortions and rebutting the allegations about my record as a journalist.'

Mrs Brooks, who was editor at News of the World when reporters allegedly hacked the phone of murdered school girl Milly Dowler, had been under intense pressure to resign after the phone- hacking scandal broke two weeks ago.

After sacking her entire staff at the NOTW, Mrs Brooks offered her resignation to boss and friend Rupert Murdoch, although this was rejected.

Today, she released a statement stating: 'As you can imagine recent times have been tough. I now need to concentrate on correcting the distortions and rebutting the allegations about my record as a journalist, an editor and executive.

'My resignation makes it possible for me to have the freedom and the time to give my full cooperation to all the current and future inquiries, the police investigations and the CMS appearance.'

David Cameron, Ed Miliband and major News Corporation shareholders had been placing intense pressure on Mrs Brooks to quit as the scandal continued to escalate, with latest reports claiming families of the September 11th victims may also have been hacked by reporters at NOTW. James Murdoch released a statement thanking Mrs Brooks for over two decades of service to his company, 'we support her as she takes this step to clear her name' he said, adding she was one of 'outstanding editors of her generation.'

Tom Mockridge, former CEO of Sky Italia, will take her place as CEO of News International.

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