UK detective goes on trial over leak of phone hack
Source: Agencies |
January 8, 2013, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
A senior British counterterrorism detective committed a "gross breach" of public trust by trying to sell information to Rupert Murdoch's News of the World about the police investigation into the tabloid's illegal phone hacking, a prosecutor told a court yesterday.
Detective Chief Inspector April Casburn is charged with misconduct for allegedly phoning the newspaper and offering to pass on information about whether London's police force would reopen its stalled hacking investigation.
Prosecutor Mark Bryant-Heron told a jury at Southwark Crown Court that Casburn "sought to undermine a highly sensitive and high profile investigation" when she phoned the tabloid's news desk in September 2010 offering to pass on the information.
"It was a gross breach of the trust that the public places in a police officer not to disclose information on a current investigation in an unauthorized way, or to offer to do so in the future for payment," he said.
Prosecutors said the newspaper did not print a story based on her call and no money changed hands.
Casburn, 53, who headed the Metropolitan Police terrorist financing investigation unit, denies a charge of misconduct in public office. She also faces a charge of breaching the Official Secrets Act which will be dealt with separately.
The prosecutor said that in a police statement Casburn admitted phoning the newspaper but denied asking for money.
Tim Wood, the News of the World news editor who took the call, told the court that Casburn had expressed concern that counterterrorism resources were being diverted to the phone hacking investigation.
Casburn is the first suspect to come to trial. Several others have been charged and await trial, including Andy Coulson, an ex-communications chief to Prime Minister David Cameron.
Detective Chief Inspector April Casburn is charged with misconduct for allegedly phoning the newspaper and offering to pass on information about whether London's police force would reopen its stalled hacking investigation.
Prosecutor Mark Bryant-Heron told a jury at Southwark Crown Court that Casburn "sought to undermine a highly sensitive and high profile investigation" when she phoned the tabloid's news desk in September 2010 offering to pass on the information.
"It was a gross breach of the trust that the public places in a police officer not to disclose information on a current investigation in an unauthorized way, or to offer to do so in the future for payment," he said.
Prosecutors said the newspaper did not print a story based on her call and no money changed hands.
Casburn, 53, who headed the Metropolitan Police terrorist financing investigation unit, denies a charge of misconduct in public office. She also faces a charge of breaching the Official Secrets Act which will be dealt with separately.
The prosecutor said that in a police statement Casburn admitted phoning the newspaper but denied asking for money.
Tim Wood, the News of the World news editor who took the call, told the court that Casburn had expressed concern that counterterrorism resources were being diverted to the phone hacking investigation.
Casburn is the first suspect to come to trial. Several others have been charged and await trial, including Andy Coulson, an ex-communications chief to Prime Minister David Cameron.
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