Sun journalist accused of paying for budget leak was ‘doing her job’

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/nov/20/sun-journalist-bidget-leak-doing-her-job-old-bailey

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A Sun political journalist accused of paying a government press officer for leaked budget details was just “doing her job”, jurors have been told.

Jonathan Hall, from HMRC, allegedly received £17,000 from Sun publisher News International in exchange for tips he gave Whitehall editor Clodagh Hartley over three years, including details of the 2010 budget before it was announced in parliament.

Hartley, 40, is on trial at the Old Bailey alongside Hall’s girlfriend, Marta Bukarewicz, accused of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office.

The journalist has told the court that stories she produced were in the “public interest” and she had no idea at the time that what she was doing might be a crime.

Hartley’s barrister, Alexandra Healy, QC, accepted the prosecution’s statement that ignorance of the law was no defence but stressed to the jury there was a high burden of proof.

In her closing speech at the Old Bailey on Thursday, Healy said: “What this case comes down to, members of the jury, is looking at what was known to Clodagh Hartley at the time.”

She went on: “Look at what harm was caused – none. Look at what steps were taken at the time to investigate wrong-doing – none. What secret did Clodagh Hartley make of what she was doing – none.

“In our submission it would be quite wrong to convict Clodagh Hartley for this offence of conspiracy to commit a criminal act – that she agreed with Jonathan Hall that a crime be committed in the circumstances of this case.

“She was doing her job. She did it well. She did what was asked of her and everybody knew what she was doing.”

Hartley, of Brockley, south east London, and Bukarewicz, 45, of Kentish Town, north west London, deny wrongdoing.

The trial was adjourned until Monday when judge Peter Rook QC will sum up the case.