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| Former police sergeant jailed after selling information to the Sun | Former police sergeant jailed after selling information to the Sun |
| (12 days later) | |
| A former police sergeant has been jailed for 10 months for selling information to the Sun and attempting to sell a story to the now defunct News of the World about the celebrity Katie Price. | A former police sergeant has been jailed for 10 months for selling information to the Sun and attempting to sell a story to the now defunct News of the World about the celebrity Katie Price. |
| During sentencing at the Old Bailey on Thursday Mr Justice Fulford told James Bowes, a former Sussex police officer, he had "corroded public confidence in the police force" and abused his position for what were essentially corrupt purposes. | During sentencing at the Old Bailey on Thursday Mr Justice Fulford told James Bowes, a former Sussex police officer, he had "corroded public confidence in the police force" and abused his position for what were essentially corrupt purposes. |
| Bowes, who worked in Brighton, had pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office last month after admitting contacting the News of the World and the Sun between April and July 2010. | Bowes, who worked in Brighton, had pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office last month after admitting contacting the News of the World and the Sun between April and July 2010. |
| The court heard he was paid for just one story, but Fulford said his decision to put private details of incidents into the public domain in relation to two children – Katie Price's daughter Princess Tiana, and a three-year-boy who was bitten by a fox in a Brighton school – was "a particular notable aspect of this offence". | The court heard he was paid for just one story, but Fulford said his decision to put private details of incidents into the public domain in relation to two children – Katie Price's daughter Princess Tiana, and a three-year-boy who was bitten by a fox in a Brighton school – was "a particular notable aspect of this offence". |
| The first incident took place in April 2010, when Bowes emailed a story to the Sunday tabloid about Price just after she had separated from her former husband, Peter Andre. | The first incident took place in April 2010, when Bowes emailed a story to the Sunday tabloid about Price just after she had separated from her former husband, Peter Andre. |
| The court heard how a child protection team had been asked to intervene after Price and Andre's daughter had been injured. No crime had taken place and the girl's injuries were consistent with those normally associated with childhood, but Bowes had discovered the intervention from checking the police log. | The court heard how a child protection team had been asked to intervene after Price and Andre's daughter had been injured. No crime had taken place and the girl's injuries were consistent with those normally associated with childhood, but Bowes had discovered the intervention from checking the police log. |
| He tried to sell the story to the News of the World. The paper had its own sources about Price and Andre's separation and did not pay him. | He tried to sell the story to the News of the World. The paper had its own sources about Price and Andre's separation and did not pay him. |
| Bowes next contacted the Sun and received £500 for passing on details of a three-year-old boy who had been bitten by a fox at a birthday party at school premises in Brighton. He also passed on the details of the man who had hired the venue for the party. | Bowes next contacted the Sun and received £500 for passing on details of a three-year-old boy who had been bitten by a fox at a birthday party at school premises in Brighton. He also passed on the details of the man who had hired the venue for the party. |
| On a third occasion he tipped off the Sun about a search the police were about to make in the home of the convicted serial murderer Peter Tobin, after a clairvoyant phoned investigators to say she had dreamed of more bodies beneath the floor. | On a third occasion he tipped off the Sun about a search the police were about to make in the home of the convicted serial murderer Peter Tobin, after a clairvoyant phoned investigators to say she had dreamed of more bodies beneath the floor. |
| Bowes was charged by officers from Operation Elveden, the Met's investigation into police corruption. He is the fourth police officer to be convicted of passing information to a newspaper. | Bowes was charged by officers from Operation Elveden, the Met's investigation into police corruption. He is the fourth police officer to be convicted of passing information to a newspaper. |
| Bowes had no previous convictions and was dismissed on 14 September 2012, for gross misconduct following his arrest. | Bowes had no previous convictions and was dismissed on 14 September 2012, for gross misconduct following his arrest. |
| Mark Bryant Heron, for the Crown, told how Bowes had "panicked" when the clairvoyant, who had contacted the police regarding Tobin, complained that someone had leaked information about her call to the Sun and he then stopped contact with the paper. | Mark Bryant Heron, for the Crown, told how Bowes had "panicked" when the clairvoyant, who had contacted the police regarding Tobin, complained that someone had leaked information about her call to the Sun and he then stopped contact with the paper. |
| Although Bowes was only paid for one story, he had requested anonymity in his emails to the Sun and the News of the World amid fears he could lose his job. | Although Bowes was only paid for one story, he had requested anonymity in his emails to the Sun and the News of the World amid fears he could lose his job. |
| His barrister, Steve Wedd, urged the judge to consider the three incidents to be lesser crimes than those committed by other officers already convicted of misconduct in public office for selling stories to the Sun. | His barrister, Steve Wedd, urged the judge to consider the three incidents to be lesser crimes than those committed by other officers already convicted of misconduct in public office for selling stories to the Sun. |
| "These were silly offences which were motivated by a small desire for money and a secondhand desire for notoriety [to be associated with Katie Price]," Fulford said. | "These were silly offences which were motivated by a small desire for money and a secondhand desire for notoriety [to be associated with Katie Price]," Fulford said. |
| Fulford said that passing information to the press about potential witnesses was deeply damaging to the criminal processes and could have led to acquittals. | Fulford said that passing information to the press about potential witnesses was deeply damaging to the criminal processes and could have led to acquittals. |
| "We are entitled to expect the very highest standards of probity from our police officers," said the judge, adding that it was a very serious matter when those "with the benefits, privileges and responsibilities of public office use their position for what are essentially corrupt practices". | "We are entitled to expect the very highest standards of probity from our police officers," said the judge, adding that it was a very serious matter when those "with the benefits, privileges and responsibilities of public office use their position for what are essentially corrupt practices". |
| In an impact statement read out in court, Andre said he was "hurt and embarrassed by the story" about his separation. The father of the boy bitten by a fox told how he had to move house following the story and said that he would be reluctant to contact police again. | In an impact statement read out in court, Andre said he was "hurt and embarrassed by the story" about his separation. The father of the boy bitten by a fox told how he had to move house following the story and said that he would be reluctant to contact police again. |
| Bowes' admission to misconduct comes weeks after two other police officers and a prison officer were jailed for selling information to the tabloid and News of the World. Alan Tierney, 40, a former Surrey police constable, was jailed for 10 months after pleading guilty to selling details about two cases linked to high-profile people, including the Rolling Stones' Ronnie Wood and John Terry's mother. | Bowes' admission to misconduct comes weeks after two other police officers and a prison officer were jailed for selling information to the tabloid and News of the World. Alan Tierney, 40, a former Surrey police constable, was jailed for 10 months after pleading guilty to selling details about two cases linked to high-profile people, including the Rolling Stones' Ronnie Wood and John Terry's mother. |
| In February, April Casburn, a former detective chief inspector who worked in the counter-terror unit, was sentenced to 15 months in prison after being found guilty of passing on information to the News of the World. | In February, April Casburn, a former detective chief inspector who worked in the counter-terror unit, was sentenced to 15 months in prison after being found guilty of passing on information to the News of the World. |
| A third former officer, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced to two years after pleading guilty to misconduct in a public office. | A third former officer, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced to two years after pleading guilty to misconduct in a public office. |
| Last month a fifth public official, Richard Trunkfield, a former operational support officer at a high-security jail near Milton Keynes, received a 16-month term after selling details about Jon Venables, one of James Bulger's killers. | Last month a fifth public official, Richard Trunkfield, a former operational support officer at a high-security jail near Milton Keynes, received a 16-month term after selling details about Jon Venables, one of James Bulger's killers. |
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