Former Brighton police sergeant jailed for selling stories to The Sun

A former Brighton police sergeant has been jailed for ten months for selling information to The Sun newspaper.

James Bowes, 30, a former member of the Brighton and Hove Neighbourhood Policing Team, was jailed for misconduct in a public office at the Central Criminal Court by Mr Justice Fulford this morning (Thursday 9 May).

Bowes admitted the offence at the court, which is better known as the Old Bailey, when he appeared there before Sir Adrian Fulford last month.

Bowes, of King’s Stone Avenue, Steyning, offered information about three high-profile investigations to The Sun and News of the World while he was working for Sussex Police.

The stories included one about the Brighton model and television personality Katie Price, also known as Jordan, her former husband Peter Andre and their daughter Princess Tiaamii.

He was paid £500 by The Sun for information about a boy bitten by a fox at Dorothy Stringer Playgroup in Brighton which he has since donated to the charity Crimestoppers.

The other story involved the search for the bodies of victims of serial killer Peter Tobin in Brighton and Hove.

The offences took place between Friday 9 April and Tuesday 20 July 2010.

Bowes was arrested as part of Operation Elveden, the Metropolitan Police investigation into corrupt payments to police and other public officials.

Last month Sussex Police Deputy Chief Constable Giles York said: “Sussex Police expects the highest personal and professional standards of anyone who works for us and any allegations of behaviour which does not meet those standards will be rigorously investigated.

“On being made aware of the investigation into James Bowes in August 2012, Sussex Police immediately suspended him and following an internal disciplinary hearing the following month he was dismissed for gross misconduct.”