Former Brighton police officer charged with selling stories to a newspaper

A former Brighton police sergeant is due to appear in a London court accused of selling information to a national newspaper.

James Bowes, 30, from Steyning, a former member of the Brighton and Hove Neighbourhood Policing Team, has been charged with misconduct in a public office.

The officer is alleged to have sold information about three high-profile investigations to The Sun for £500 while he was working for Sussex Police.

The Metropolitan Police said that the offences took place between Friday 9 April and Tuesday 20 July 2010.

The Met said that he was arrested as part of Operation Elveden and was due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 26 March.

The operation has involved the arrest of more than 60 people on suspicion of making corrupt payments to public officials or receiving them.

Alison Levitt is the principal legal adviser to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

She oversees Crown Prosecution Service decision-making and all potential prosecutions in relation to the phone-hacking and related investigations, including Operation Elveden.

She said: “The investigation in this case was overseen by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

“We have concluded, following a careful review of the evidence, that James Bowes, who is a former police sergeant with the neighbourhood policing team of Sussex Police, should be charged with an offence of misconduct in public office.

“It is alleged that in 2010 Mr Bowes provided information to The Sun newspaper in breach of the terms of his employment and was paid £500.

“The charge relates to allegations that Mr Bowes provided details to the newspaper about three high-profile investigations being conducted by Sussex Police at the time.

“All of these matters were considered carefully in accordance with the DPP’s guidelines on the public interest in cases affecting the media.

“These guidelines require prosecutors to consider whether the public interest served by the conduct in question outweighs the overall criminality before bringing criminal proceedings.”