Actor Jude Law tried to manipulate a News of the World (NotW) story about his girlfriend Sienna Miller's affair with Bond star Daniel Craig to make it appear that "she cheated first", it has been claimed.
A PR source asked the paper to "deliberately backdate", claiming the request was effectively from Mr Law, who had had a fling with a nanny, the hacking trial heard.
The disclosure came as former editor Andy Coulson's lawyer Timothy Langdale, QC, cross examined self-confessed NotW hacker Dan Evans on the fifth day of his evidence.
Mr Evans claims his former editor knew about his hacking activities and that part of the Miller story was produced from a hacked message to Mr Craig from Mr Law confronting him about the affair.
Transcripts from interviews read to the court exposed information from sources described as One and Two.
Source One, a driver, told the NotW that he first saw Ms Miller with Mr Craig at the London restaurant The Ivy, and Ms Miller was "panicking" the press would make something out of it. The second time, Source One said they were at a flat in Notting Hill. Mr Craig left and drove off while Ms Miller hid behind the door, the Old Bailey was told. The source felt obliged to tell Mr Law about it, Mr Langdale said.
Source Two, who worked in public relations, told the NotW that Ms Miller was just "keeping Jude dangling" while "going on to her next victim". The source, allegedly speaking for Mr Law, goes on to suggest: "If you could deliberately backdate so she cheated first, that's the thing he wants the most."
Andy Coulson and six others deny all charges against them.
The trial continues.
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