Police examine bag found in bin near Brooks' home

In an odd twist to the ongoing phone hacking saga, police are reportedly examining the contents of a bag said to belong to Charlie Brooks, the husband of former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks.

The bag, containing a computer, paperwork and phone, was allegedly found in a bin in an underground car park near the Brooks' Chelsea Harbour home on Monday afternoon, according to a Guardian report.

After the bag was handed to a security guard around 3 pm, Mr Brooks arrived in the car park and tried to retrieve the item but failed to prove ownership, the newspaper claims.

The guard then allegedly called the police who arrived in 'two marked police cars and an unmarked forensic car' and confiscated the bag.

Mr Brooks' spokesperson David Wilson told the Guardian that the bag 'has nothing to do with Rebekah or the [phone-hacking] case'.

'Charlie has a bag which contains a laptop and papers which were private,' said Mr Wilson. When asked how it might have ended up in the parking lot, he replied:

'The suggestion is that a cleaner thought it was rubbish and put it in the bin. Charlie was looking for it together with a couple of the building staff and was told it had gone to security, by which stage they had already called the police to say they had found something.'

(Related story: Arrest may limit Brooks' answers to questions)

He added that 'Charlie's lawyers got in touch with the police to say they could take a look at the computer but they'd see there was nothing relevant to them on it. He's expecting the stuff back forthwith'.

Detectives are reportedly also examining car park CCTV footage to shed light on who may have dropped off the bag.

Rebekah Brooks, who was released on bail after being arrested on Sunday over corruption claims, is due to appear before a parliamentary select committee on Tuesday afternoon.