“I am extremely disappointed by the CPS decision today. I will fight these allegations when they eventually get to court, but I would like to say one thing today about the Milly Dowler allegations. Anyone who knows me or who’s worked with me would know that I wouldn’t, and more importantly that I didn’t, do anything to damage the Milly Dowler investigation. At the News of the World we worked on behalf of the victims of crime, particularly violent crime, and the idea that I would then sit in my office dreaming up schemes to undermine investigations is simply untrue.”

His trial is likely to coincide with the last few months of an election campaign.

Guido imagines there are people sitting in offices dreaming up schemes to undermine that fact right now…