Rebekah Brooks in court on hacking charges

LONDON, June 13 (UPI) -- Rebekah Brooks, former chief executive of News International, appeared at a London court hearing on charges she tried to hide evidence of phone hacking.

Prosecutors allege she removed boxes of material from News International archives and tried to keep computers and other material from police investigating the alleged hacking.

Her husband, Charlie, and four current and former employees at News International are also accused in the investigation, The Daily Telegraph reported.

Brooks is banned from contacting any of her co-defendants apart from her husband to prevent the obstruction of justice. She has also been ordered to surrender her British passport.

No other details of the investigation were offered during the brief hearing Wednesday in Westminster Magistrates Court in London, the newspaper said. The defendants were not asked to enter a plea. Brooks spoke only to confirm her address and date of birth.

The next hearing will be held June 22.