LONDON: Three senior journalists at the defunct News of the World tabloid have already pleaded guilty to hacking phones, a prosecutor revealed Wednesday, calling it a sign of the scope of the illegal behavior at the Rupert Murdoch-owned publication.

Prosecutor Andrew Edis said ex-news editor Greg Miskiw, ex-chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck and former reporter James Weatherup all entered guilty pleas ahead of this week’s high-profile phone hacking trial of former News of the World editors Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson, who are in the dock along with Brooks’ husband Charles and several others.