A former police constable and an ex-prison officer were jailed today for selling information to The Sun newspaper — including details about Jon Venables, one of Jamie Bulger’s killers.
Ex-Surrey Pc Alan Tierney, 40, was sentenced to 10 months for selling details of the arrests of footballer John Terry’s mother and Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood.
In a separate court case former prison officer Richard Trunkfield, 31, who worked at high security Woodhill prison near Milton Keynes, was jailed for 16 months for leaking details about Venables.
Passing sentence on both men in separate hearings at the Old Bailey today, Mr Justice Fulford said: “This country has long prided itself on the integrity of its public officials and cynical acts of betrayal of that high standard have a profoundly corrosive effect.” Both men had this month admitted offences of misconduct in public office.
Trunkfield has since resigned from Woodhill prison and Venables is no longer being held there, the court heard. The warder was paid £3,350 for the information, the court heard.
Tierney became the second police officer to be convicted under Operation Elveden, the inquiry into corrupt payments by journalists to public officials, following the case of former counter-terrorism detective April Casburn.
He sold details about former England football captain Terry’s mother Sue and his mother-in-law Sue Poole being arrested on suspicion of shoplifting in Surrey.
He also sold the name and address of a witness after Wood was arrested on suspicion of beating up his 23-year-old Russian lover. Both incidents took place in 2009 and Terry, Poole and Wood all accepted cautions over the matters.
Passing sentence in his case Mr Justice Fulford said that Tierney’s offences were “a disgraceful way for a police officer to act”.
