When the Conservatives came to power in May 2010, Coulson followed Cameron into Downing Street as media chief.
But in January 2011, he resigned amid repeated claims that he knew more than he was letting on.
“When the spokesman needs a spokesman, it’s time to move on,” he said.
He was arrested in July 2011 and charged 12 months later with one charge of conspiracy to hack phones and two of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office.
Cameron said that if Coulson turned out to be guilty, he would make a “profound apology”, which he duly offered after Coulson’s conviction last week.
The British prime minister added Friday that the sentence showed “no one is above the law”.
During the trial at London’s Old Bailey, Coulson repeatedly denied knowing that journalists were illegally accessing celebrities’ phones.
He admitted being “careless” but claimed he had not known that phone-hacking was illegal and only heard about the practice “in vague terms”.
But sentencing Coulson, Judge John Saunders said there had been a “very great deal of phone hacking” while Coulson was News of the World editor.
He highlighted the paper’s “unforgiveable” delay in telling police that they had listened to a voicemail on the phone of missing 13-year-old Milly Dowler, who was later found dead.
This fuelled false hopes among her family that she was still alive.
Coulson’s wife Eloise supported him throughout the eight months of hearings, the cost of which have reportedly left the couple close to financial ruin.
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