Charlie Brooks (racehorse trainer)

Charles Patrick Evelyn Brooks (born 3 March 1963), usually known as Charlie Brooks, is a British socialite, newspaper columnist, racehorse trainer and former jockey. He is best known as the husband of Rebekah Brooks, former chief executive of News International. The couple are seen as leading lights of the so-called 'Chipping Norton set', a politically influential clique close to the leadership of the Conservative Party. On 15 May 2012, Brooks and his wife were charged with perverting the course of justice.

Early life

Brooks was born Charles Patrick Evelyn Brooks on 3 March 1963 in Chipping Norton, the third and youngest child of Robert Noel Brand Brooks and Caroline Diana (Todd). His father died when he was 14. Educated at Eton College, where he was a friend of future Prime Minister David Cameron, Brooks became an amateur jockey and assistant racehorse trainer to Fred Winter. In 1987 he won the Christie's Foxhunter Chase on Observe, and in 1989 he took over the Uplands stables at Lambourn from Winter.

Racehorse trainer

Among Brooks's successes as a trainer were Suny Bay, runner-up in the 1997 and 1998 Grand Nationals, and Couldn't be Better, winner of the 1995 Hennessy Gold Cup. At the end of the 1998 season he resigned after a dispute with owner Andrew Cohen.

After a break of more than thirteen years, Brooks was reinstated as a licensed trainer in late 2011.

Phone hacking controversy

During 2011 and 2012 Brooks became drawn into the controversy over phone-hacking by Rupert Murdoch's News International. In July 2011, two computers belonging to Charlie Brooks were found by a cleaner in an underground car park at his Chelsea Harbour home. Brooks tried to reclaim the computers but they were taken away by police, and the mystery has yet to be resolved.

On 13 March 2012 Charlie and Rebekah Brooks were arrested in a dawn raid at their home, on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. They were charged with perverting the course of justice in May 2012.

Charlie and Rebekah Brooks appeared in court at the Old Bailey on 26th September 2012. Rebekah Brooks faced three charges and Charlie Brooks one charge of conspiring to pervert the course of justice by concealing material from police officers.

Personal life

In 2004 Brooks split from his long-term partner Miriam Francome (former wife of champion jockey John Francome) after twelve years. He married Rebekah Wade, then editor of The Sun, in June 2009. The wedding was attended by then Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and future Prime Minister David Cameron, who is a close personal friend of the couple. In January 2012 Charlie and Rebekah Brooks became parents via a surrogate mother.