London, Aug 3 (ANI): Former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks has been formally charged in connection with an ongoing police inquiry into allegations of phone-hacking at the now defunct British tabloid News of the World (NOTW).

Earlier it was announced that Brooks and six other former NOTW journalists would be charged with conspiring to intercept communications.

The other former NOTW staff who have been formally charged are ex-managing editor Stuart Kuttner, former news editor Greg Miskiw, former head of news Ian Edmondson, ex-chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck, former reporter James Weatherup and former editor Andy Coulson.

According to the BBC, Brooks will appear before Westminster magistrates on September 3.

Brooks, 44, and Coulson face specific charges relating to the voicemail of murdered Surrey schoolgirl Milly Dowler.

Brooks, in a statement issued last week, insisted that she was innocent.

The charge concerning Milly Dowler is particularly upsetting, not only as it is untrue but also because I have spent my journalistic career campaigning for victims of crime, she had said.

I will vigorously defend these allegations, she had added. (ANI)