A former police community support officer (PCSO) has avoided jail after he admitted tipping off The Sun that supermodel Naomi Campbell (pictured, Reuters) was in custody over an allegation of assault.

Paul Randall, 49, found out the model was at a Westminster police station where he worked on 25 October 2006 and rang the tabloid newspaper which dispatched a photographer to the scene.

Although he was one of two sources for the story, his information helped The Sun get the scoop on the South London-born model, resulting in two stories being published, prosecutor Stuart Biggs said.