Former policeman admits selling information to The Sun

A former police sergeant faces jail after admitting selling information to The Sun newspaper.

James Bowes, 30, from Steyning, West Sussex, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey today to misconduct in public office in 2010.

He was remanded on unconditional bail to be sentenced on 9 May.

Mr Justice Fulford warned him that the fact he had been given bail was "no indication of disposal".

No details of the case were given during today's short hearing.

Bowes is said to have given the tabloid newspaper information about investigations between 9 April and 20 July 2010, while he was working for Sussex Police.

An earlier hearing before magistrates was told he contacted the News of the World newsdesk offering to provide information from a confidential police report to the newspaper and asking what the information was worth.

Then on 19 April, 2010, he contacted The Sun and offered to sell it information, including names and contact details.

An article was subsequently published and Bowes was paid £500.

In July that same year he contacted the same unnamed journalist at The Sun and provided information about a police search that was due to take place, leading to a number of stories. He was not paid for that material.

Bowes was charged by officers from Operation Elveden, the Metropolitan police investigation into corrupt payments to public officials.

Last month in separate cases ex-Surrey Pc Alan Tierney and former prison officer Richard Trunkfield were both jailed for selling stories to the Sun.

Trunkfield, 31, passed on details about one of James Bulger's killers, Jon Venables, while Tierney, 40, sold details of the separate arrests of footballer John Terry's mother and Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood.

Trunkfield was sentenced to 16 months for misconduct in public office by Mr Justice Fulford at the Old Bailey, while Tierney was jailed for 10 months.

A second former police officer, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was also jailed for two years for misconduct in public office.