A Sun reporter on trial for paying three public officials for tips told jurors today that his newsdesk "knew exactly" who his sources were even before he first spoke to them.

Tom Wells, 34, is accused of conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office with Mark Blake who was allegedly paid nearly £8,000 by The Sun while employed by Serco at Colnbrook secure immigration removal centre.

He is also charged over his dealings with prison officers Richard Trunkfield and Scott Chapman who both allegedly sold information about James Bulger killer Jon Venables while he was behind bars in 2010 and 2011.