A Sun journalist denied to a court that he "acted unlawfully at all" by looking at the contents of an MP's Blackberry phone. (Picture: Shutterstock)

Nick Parker told the Old Bailey he had searched through Siobhain McDonagh's phone because he had been told there was evidence of "criminality" on it.

Michael Ankers is in the dock at the Old Bailey alongside him accused of stealing the phone and then trying to sell its contents for £10,000.