This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/oct/17/sun-journalists-trial-public-officials-broadmoor-sandhurst
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Sun journalists prepared to break law in pursuit of a good story, trial hears | Sun journalists prepared to break law in pursuit of a good story, trial hears |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Six senior Sun journalists were prepared to break the law in the pursuit of a story by paying public officials for confidential information, a jury has heard. | Six senior Sun journalists were prepared to break the law in the pursuit of a story by paying public officials for confidential information, a jury has heard. |
| The journalists had a “calculated and deliberate” policy of paying police officers, members of the military and healthcare staff, Kingston crown court in south-west London was told on Friday. Sources included staff at Broadmoor high-security hospital, with leaks providing confidential information on the Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe, and Rachel Nickell’s killer, Robert Napper. | |
| At one point, Sun reporter Jamie Pyatt, 51, told his head of news Chris Pharo, 45, of his Broadmoor sources: “This is a gold mine I’ve hit in these two contacts.” The sources would “provide the Sun endlessly”. | At one point, Sun reporter Jamie Pyatt, 51, told his head of news Chris Pharo, 45, of his Broadmoor sources: “This is a gold mine I’ve hit in these two contacts.” The sources would “provide the Sun endlessly”. |
| One of these alleged sources, Broadmoor healthcare assistant Robert Neave, known as “Tipster Bob”, supplied several stories to Pyatt, said Peter Wright, QC, opening the case against the six. The court was told that Neave also gave the reporter Sutcliffe’s psychiatric report to read. | One of these alleged sources, Broadmoor healthcare assistant Robert Neave, known as “Tipster Bob”, supplied several stories to Pyatt, said Peter Wright, QC, opening the case against the six. The court was told that Neave also gave the reporter Sutcliffe’s psychiatric report to read. |
| Pyatt claimed £1,000 to pay Neave for a story on Sutcliffe being stabbed by another inmate, and the source, Wright said, also helped the newspaper take a photograph of Napper in the grounds of Broadmoor. | Pyatt claimed £1,000 to pay Neave for a story on Sutcliffe being stabbed by another inmate, and the source, Wright said, also helped the newspaper take a photograph of Napper in the grounds of Broadmoor. |
| In one request, Pyatt emailed Pharo and former deputy news editor Ben O’Driscoll, 38, saying that he needed cash for his “Broadmoor contact” as “there is a major mole hunt on for my contact and it is obvious he cannot have NI [News International] payments in his bank account”. | In one request, Pyatt emailed Pharo and former deputy news editor Ben O’Driscoll, 38, saying that he needed cash for his “Broadmoor contact” as “there is a major mole hunt on for my contact and it is obvious he cannot have NI [News International] payments in his bank account”. |
| The six journalists – Pharo, managing editor Graham Dudman, 51, O’Driscoll, picture editor John Edwards and reporters Pyatt and John Troup, 49 – all deny conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office. | The six journalists – Pharo, managing editor Graham Dudman, 51, O’Driscoll, picture editor John Edwards and reporters Pyatt and John Troup, 49 – all deny conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office. |
| Wright said the jury would hear evidence that such a “gross breach of confidence” at Broadmoor had the capacity to cause “serious disruption”. The information leaked and the “sensationalist” way it was used by the Sun led to mistrust between patients and staff, Wright said. Such a breach exposes others to the “risk of reprisal” and was corrosive of trust, he said. “It exposes staff and fellow patient alike to danger.” | |
| The trial has heard that Pharo had at least five reporters who sought authorisation from him for payments to public officials. He authorised cash payments to various public officials, including a source at Sandhurst, where Prince William was undergoing his military training, and a £750 “welcome aboard” payment to a new Pyatt Broadmoor source, the court heard. | The trial has heard that Pharo had at least five reporters who sought authorisation from him for payments to public officials. He authorised cash payments to various public officials, including a source at Sandhurst, where Prince William was undergoing his military training, and a £750 “welcome aboard” payment to a new Pyatt Broadmoor source, the court heard. |
| The Sandhurst source had obtained a photograph of a sergeant, who had trained the prince, and who was accused of killing a police officer in a car crash, the jury heard. Chasing a £1,000 payment, one reporter emailed Pharo saying his contact was “my eyes and ears” at Sandhurst, and had obtained the photograph “at huge personal risk (his army pension!)”. | The Sandhurst source had obtained a photograph of a sergeant, who had trained the prince, and who was accused of killing a police officer in a car crash, the jury heard. Chasing a £1,000 payment, one reporter emailed Pharo saying his contact was “my eyes and ears” at Sandhurst, and had obtained the photograph “at huge personal risk (his army pension!)”. |
| “Mr Pharo realised the value of having someone on the inside at Sandhurst,” said Wright, and approved the payment immediately, with the words “I’ll sort it old son”. | “Mr Pharo realised the value of having someone on the inside at Sandhurst,” said Wright, and approved the payment immediately, with the words “I’ll sort it old son”. |
| Another request, from Pyatt, was for an army private at the Combermere barracks in Windsor, where Prince Harry was based before and after his first tour of Afghanistan. The reporter requested £500 to get the source “totally onside for the future”. Later, he requested a £1,000 cash payment for an “exclusive” on the younger prince’s wish to serve at the frontline. Explaining to Pharo why cash was required, Pyatt wrote: “He is a soldier living in the barracks.” The payment was approved, said Wright. | Another request, from Pyatt, was for an army private at the Combermere barracks in Windsor, where Prince Harry was based before and after his first tour of Afghanistan. The reporter requested £500 to get the source “totally onside for the future”. Later, he requested a £1,000 cash payment for an “exclusive” on the younger prince’s wish to serve at the frontline. Explaining to Pharo why cash was required, Pyatt wrote: “He is a soldier living in the barracks.” The payment was approved, said Wright. |
| O’Driscoll was also “no stranger to the activities”, said Wright. When requested by Pyatt for a £750 cash payment to “keep this guy on side in Broadmoor”, O’Driscoll responded: “Get it in today, dude”. This “casual response” demonstrated “casual indifference to what these men were actually engaged in”, said Wright. | O’Driscoll was also “no stranger to the activities”, said Wright. When requested by Pyatt for a £750 cash payment to “keep this guy on side in Broadmoor”, O’Driscoll responded: “Get it in today, dude”. This “casual response” demonstrated “casual indifference to what these men were actually engaged in”, said Wright. |
| Troup requested £300 cash to pay a “source” for a story about a prisoner suicide at a category A prison. Dudman asked the reporter why it had to be cash, said Wright. Troup responded that the “tipster is a prison officer” who “doesn’t want any record of his name anywhere”. Dudman replied: “That’s fine – thanks”, the jury heard. | |
| Wright said Dudman’s reply was “as casual and matter of fact as it was informative about the methods the Sun used to get leads”. | Wright said Dudman’s reply was “as casual and matter of fact as it was informative about the methods the Sun used to get leads”. |
| Pharo denies six counts of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office, O’Driscoll and Dudman each deny four counts, Edwards and Pyatt each deny three counts, and Troup denies two counts. | Pharo denies six counts of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office, O’Driscoll and Dudman each deny four counts, Edwards and Pyatt each deny three counts, and Troup denies two counts. |
| Dudman is accused of paying an unknown City of London police officer or officers for information on the Soham murders of 10-year-old schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Leaked information included details about two officers on Operation Fincham, the Soham inquiry, being arrested for allegedly downloading child pornography. | Dudman is accused of paying an unknown City of London police officer or officers for information on the Soham murders of 10-year-old schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Leaked information included details about two officers on Operation Fincham, the Soham inquiry, being arrested for allegedly downloading child pornography. |
| Matthew Tapp, who headed the Cambridgeshire police media strategy during the investigation, said he was not aware of any “bungs” paid by reporters to officers on the case. | Matthew Tapp, who headed the Cambridgeshire police media strategy during the investigation, said he was not aware of any “bungs” paid by reporters to officers on the case. |
| He agreed, under cross examination from Dudman’s counsel, Oliver Blunt QC, that the arrests of a family liaison officer working with the Chapman family, and an exhibits officer in the case, was of public interest and a “shattering blow” to the inquiry. | |
| While the police force had confirmed the arrests, the details surrounding the allegations that were published in the Sun had not come officially from the police, which would have been “totally and wholly inappropriate,” said Tapp | While the police force had confirmed the arrests, the details surrounding the allegations that were published in the Sun had not come officially from the police, which would have been “totally and wholly inappropriate,” said Tapp |
| Blunt said: “This wasn’t a story about titillation and amusement. This was a horrific story and also an utterly sorry state of affairs with regard to the investigating officers.” | |
| The court heard Dudman claimed cash payments of £350 and £400 allegedly for his source or sources and the requests were made in false names. | The court heard Dudman claimed cash payments of £350 and £400 allegedly for his source or sources and the requests were made in false names. |
| He also submitted receipts on three occasions for entertaining his contacts at a Chinese restaurant and twice for entertaining at an Indian restaurant, restaurants which were, the jury heard, “extremely local to his home address”. | He also submitted receipts on three occasions for entertaining his contacts at a Chinese restaurant and twice for entertaining at an Indian restaurant, restaurants which were, the jury heard, “extremely local to his home address”. |
| Questioned by Troup’s counsel William Clegg, QC, Tapp agreed he knew the reporter from working for police forces in East Anglia, and considered him to be honest, and had never heard of any suggestions he had offered money to police officers. | Questioned by Troup’s counsel William Clegg, QC, Tapp agreed he knew the reporter from working for police forces in East Anglia, and considered him to be honest, and had never heard of any suggestions he had offered money to police officers. |
| The six journalists were arrested on separate occasions between 2011 and 2013. | The six journalists were arrested on separate occasions between 2011 and 2013. |
| On arrest, Pyatt was asked by police about references to “police contacts” in his expenses and emails, the jury heard. He said it was a “very, very wide term” that could apply to a girlfriend or wife of a police officer, said Wright. | On arrest, Pyatt was asked by police about references to “police contacts” in his expenses and emails, the jury heard. He said it was a “very, very wide term” that could apply to a girlfriend or wife of a police officer, said Wright. |
| Asked what the term “public interest” meant, he replied “public interest is what interests our readers, what makes them when they open the paper say: ‘That’s a great read.’ It makes them laugh, it makes them cry.” | |
| Wright told the jury: “It is the prosecution’s case that the public interest and what interests the public are two different things.” | |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |