sun-getcccctyThe Crown Prosecution Service have today announced that the Sun Whitehall editor, Clodagh Hartley and two others are to be charged with conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office.  The information concerned details of unannounced spending and policy decisions relating to the 2010 Budget and the coalition government’s deficit reduction plans.

The other two individuals charged are Jonathan Hall, employed as a Press Officer at Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (“HMRC”) and Marta Bukarewicz, his partner, who are alleged to have received payments totalling £17,475 from the Sun.

In announcing the decision Gregor McGill, a senior lawyer with the Crown Prosecution Service said

“It is alleged that between 30 March 2008 and 15 July 2011 The Sun newspaper paid £17,475 to Jonathan Hall, mostly via Marta Bukarewicz, in exchange for the unauthorised disclosure of information obtained as a result of his employment with HMRC.

“The information provided included details about government plans, including upcoming but as yet unannounced spending and policy decisions relating to the 2010 Budget and the coalition government’s deficit reduction plans. Information also related specifically to policy and decision-making within HMRC, including that relating to job losses and casework”.

All three individuals will appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 29 May 2013.

There have now been 60 arrests as part of Operation Elveden. This announcement brings the total number of people facing charges as a result of the operation to 20 of whom the following nine are journalists.

  • Clive Goodman, former Royal Correspondent, the News of the World
  • Andy Coulson, former Editor, the News of the World
  • Rebekah Brooks, former Editor, the Sun
  • John Kay, Chief Reporter, the Sun
  • Virginia Wheeler, Defence Editor, the Sun
  • Geoff Webster, former Deputy Editor, the Sun
  • Fergus Shanahan, executive editor, the Sun
  • Duncan Larcombe, royal editor, the Sun
  • Clodagh Hartley,  Whitehall editor, the Sun

A timeline of Operation Elveden charges

24/09/12 April Casburn (convicted on 10/1/13)

20/11/12 Clive Goodman, Andy Coulson, Bettina Jordan-Barber, John Kay and Rebekah Brooks

22/01/13 Paul Flattley and Virginia Wheeler

07/02/13 Alan Tierney

19/02/13 Richard Trunkfield

14/03/13 James Bowes (pleaded guilty and sentenced to 10 months imprisonment)

20/03/13 Geoff Webster

18/04/13 Fergus Shanahan

24/04/13 Duncan Larcombe, John Hardy, Claire Hardy and Tracy Bell

14/05/13  Clodagh Hartley, Jonathan Hall and Marta Bukarewicz