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| Sun royal correspondent says he reported in the public interest | Sun royal correspondent says he reported in the public interest |
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| The Sun's royal correspondent has vowed to fight "with every breath" charges he faces connected to alleged payments for stories about the royal family from an army sergeant and his wife at Sandhurst military academy. | |
| After a short hearing at Westminster magistrates' court on Wednesday, Duncan Larcombe's solicitor, James MacWhirter, said the journalist had worked regularly with the royal family over his 12 years at the Sun and had risked his life covering the war in Afghanistan. | |
| Reading a statement on Larcombe's behalf outside court, MacWhirter said: "I wish to make clear I am saddened and disappointed to be charged with these offences … I hope to demonstrate that I am a responsible journalist who reported in the public interest." | |
| Larcombe is accused of making 34 payments totalling £23,000 to John and Claire Hardy between February 2006 and October 2008 for stories about the royals. | |
| The usually dry court room proceedings were enlivened by the presence of about 25 Sun journalists and friends of four colleagues, including the Sun's executive editor Fergus Shanahan, who was also in court over charges relating to the Metropolitan police's Operation Elveden investigation into alleged illegal payments to public officials by newspapers for stories. | The usually dry court room proceedings were enlivened by the presence of about 25 Sun journalists and friends of four colleagues, including the Sun's executive editor Fergus Shanahan, who was also in court over charges relating to the Metropolitan police's Operation Elveden investigation into alleged illegal payments to public officials by newspapers for stories. |
| Among those in the packed gallery were Sun columnist Trevor Kavanagh, agony aunt Deirdre Saunders and Times business editor Ian King, who was formerly the business editor of the Sun. | Among those in the packed gallery were Sun columnist Trevor Kavanagh, agony aunt Deirdre Saunders and Times business editor Ian King, who was formerly the business editor of the Sun. |
| Also there were Lorna Carmichael, the head of promotions at the Sun, the online news editor Vince Soodin, reporter Anthony France and senior Sun executives Geoff Webster and Graham Dudman. Neil Wallis, former executive editor of the News of the World was also in the crowd. | Also there were Lorna Carmichael, the head of promotions at the Sun, the online news editor Vince Soodin, reporter Anthony France and senior Sun executives Geoff Webster and Graham Dudman. Neil Wallis, former executive editor of the News of the World was also in the crowd. |
| The Daily Mail columnist Simon Heffer also appeared in the public gallery. Later he said he wanted to give support to Shanahan, his friend and neighbour. | The Daily Mail columnist Simon Heffer also appeared in the public gallery. Later he said he wanted to give support to Shanahan, his friend and neighbour. |
| Hardy was a colour sergeant based at the Royal Military Training Academy in Sandhurst, where Prince Harry and Prince William trained. At the time of the alleged payments Larcombe was the Sun's chief royal correspondent. | Hardy was a colour sergeant based at the Royal Military Training Academy in Sandhurst, where Prince Harry and Prince William trained. At the time of the alleged payments Larcombe was the Sun's chief royal correspondent. |
| "For the past year I have had to remain silent, but my aim is to fight these allegations with every breath in my body in the hope that justice and common sense will prevail," Larcombe said in the statement read out by MacWhirter. | "For the past year I have had to remain silent, but my aim is to fight these allegations with every breath in my body in the hope that justice and common sense will prevail," Larcombe said in the statement read out by MacWhirter. |
| Shanahan was first of the defendants to appear in courton Wednesday. He has been charged with an offence of conspiring to commit misconduct in public office in relation to allegations that between 2006 and 2007 he authorised one of his journalists to make two payments totalling £7,000 to a public official for the disclosure of information. | |
| The second defendant was Tracy Bell, 34, who was employed by the Ministry of Defence as a pharmacy assistant at Sandhurst Medical Centre and is charged with misconduct in a public office. Bell allegedly received £1,250 between October 17, 2005 and July 7, 2006 relating to five articles in the Sun regarding activities at Sandhurst. | The second defendant was Tracy Bell, 34, who was employed by the Ministry of Defence as a pharmacy assistant at Sandhurst Medical Centre and is charged with misconduct in a public office. Bell allegedly received £1,250 between October 17, 2005 and July 7, 2006 relating to five articles in the Sun regarding activities at Sandhurst. |
| Also in court on Wednesday was David Johnson, a former bodyguard for Rebekah Brooks. Johnson was appearing on separate charges of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice in the days following the former News International chief executive's resignation in July 2011. | |
| He has been accused of helping to hide computers and other items from police investigating phone hacking and corruption as part of Scotland Yard's Operation Sacha inquiry. | He has been accused of helping to hide computers and other items from police investigating phone hacking and corruption as part of Scotland Yard's Operation Sacha inquiry. |
| All the defendants who attended court in relation to charges arising from Operation Elveden and Operation Sacha were ordered by district judge John Zani to appear at Southwark crown court on 3 June for a further hearing. | All the defendants who attended court in relation to charges arising from Operation Elveden and Operation Sacha were ordered by district judge John Zani to appear at Southwark crown court on 3 June for a further hearing. |
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