Tabloid journalists in court over police payments investigation

Ten people including two police officers and four tabloid journalists appeared in court today over charges in relation to misconduct in public office as part of Operation Elveden.

Sun journalists Tom Wells, Neil Millard and Brandon Malinsky and former Daily Mirror reporter Graham Brough appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

They were in the dock alongside Reggie Nunkoo, Mark Blake and Rosemary Collier.

Sam Azouelos and Tim Edwards, both Metropolitan Police officers, and Simon Quinn, a former Surrey Police officer, also appeared in separate hearings.

Further details of the allegations did not emerge during the short hearings.

All 10 defendants were bailed to appear at the Old Bailey on March 27.

They were charged as part of Operation Elveden, Scotland Yard's investigation into claims that journalists paid public officials for information.

It is alleged that between January 27 2008 and December 17 2010, Wells and Blake conspired together to commit misconduct in public office;
Wells is accused of conspiring with a public official to commit misconduct in public office between March 2 2010 and April 30 2010;
It is alleged that, between January 22 2009 and January 14 2010, Brough and Nunkoo conspired to commit misconduct in public office;
It is alleged that, between September 13 2010 and February 23 2011, Millard, Nunkoo and Malinsky conspired to commit misconduct in public office;
Wells and Millard are accused of conspiring with others to commit misconduct in public office between March 22 2010 and March 9 2011;
Millard is accused of conspiring with Collier to commit misconduct in public office between November 24 2010 and December 23 2010;
Azouelos is accused of "being a public officer, namely a Metropolitan Police officer, and acting as such, without reasonable excuse or justification, wilfully misconducted himself to such a degree as to amount to an abuse of the public's trust in that office" between July 3 2006 and April 30 2010;
Edwards faces the same charge but from March 31 2008 to July 1 2011;
Quinn is accused of conspiring with journalists and other persons unknown to commit misconduct in a public office between November 1 2000 and January 31 2011.