A crowdfunding appeal yesterday took just a few hours to raise more than £3,000 in legal fees for convicted Sun reporter Anthony France.

France was convicted by a jury in May of aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office after The Sun paid a police officer more than £22,000 for stories.

The crime reporter avoided jail after judge Timothy Pontius praised his good character. And the judge made clear he felt his employer News UK should pay prosecution costs of £34,610 – because he said it was responsible for the “structure and system” under which France worked.