An ex-News of the World reporter has denied plotting to commit misconduct in a public office by paying a Liverpool health care worker for a story.
The journalist, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared before a judge at the Old Bailey alongside Trust worker Alan Hagan, 47.
The pair spoke only to confirm their names and enter not guilty pleas to the charge of conspiring together to commit misconduct in a public office between January 18 2008 and August 29 2010.
The judge Nicholas Hilliard QC adjourned the case for an eight-day trial starting on March 30 next year.
Hagan, of Galston Close, Liverpool, and the journalist are both on unconditional bail.
They were charged earlier this year under Operational Elveden, the police investigation into corrupt payments to officials by newspapers.
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