Six journalists and senior newspaper executives are going on trial accused of plotting with public officials in pursuit of exclusive stories at The Sun newspaper over nine years.

The group are jointly charged with conspiring to commit misconduct with police officers, members of the Armed Forces, prison officials and staff at Broadmoor Hospital between March 2002 and January 2011.

On a charge sheet containing nine separate counts, news editor Chris Pharo faces a total of six charges of conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office while ex-managing editor Graham Dudman and ex-Sun deputy news editor Ben O'Driscoll are accused of four.