Operation Elveden
Operation Elveden is a Metropolitan Police operation begun in the summer of 2011 under Deputy Assistant Commissioner Sue Akers to investigate police corruption after evidence of bribery was handed over by the News of the World.[1]
On 19 April 2012, the police arrested the Sun's royal editor Duncan Larcombe, and a member of the armed forces. In the following months they arrested two more Sun journalists including Neil Millard.[2]
Other journalists arrested in the operation came from the Daily Mirror, the Sunday Mirror and the Daily Star Sunday.[3]
July 2013 charges
On 8 July 2013, Gregor McGill, a senior lawyer with the Crown Prosecution Service announced prosecutions relating to three files of evidence from Operation Elveden.[4]
It was announced that Scott Chapman, a former prison officer at HMP Woodhill and his ex-partner Lynn Gaffney should be charged with four counts of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office. Lucy Panton, former Crime Editor at the News of the World, and Thomas Savage, Deputy News Editor at the Daily Star on Sunday, should be charged with one count each of conspiring to commit misconduct in public office. The CPS also determined that no further action will be taken in relation to one journalist from the Mirror Group as there was insufficient evidence.[4]
It was also announced that Chris Pharo would be charged with one count of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office:
- It is alleged that between January 2006 and December 2010 Chris Pharo, who was News Editor and later Head of News at The Sun newspaper at the material time, gave authorisation for payments to public officials employed at Broadmoor secure hospital and at the Thames Valley, Surrey and Metropolitan police forces, as well as officers in the British Army and prison officials.[4]
In relation to a third file, on allegations of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office against one journalist and three public officials, it was determined that there was insufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and that no further action should be taken.[4]
On 31 July 2013, the CPS announced it was dropping cases against three journalists, one of whom was believed to be Richard Barun.[5]
August 2013 charges
On 20 August 2013, the Crown Prosecution Service announced charges against another nine people, including Sun and Mirror journalists and public officials, arising out of Operation Elveden.[6]
External resources
- Sandra Laville, Elveden: Duchess of Cambridge and Ian Brady among suspected victims, The Guardian, 12 July 2013.
Notes
- ↑ Tom Watson & Martin Hickman, Dial M for Murdoch, News Corporation and the Corruption of Britain, Penguin Books, 2012, p.168.
- ↑ Tom Watson & Martin Hickman, Dial M for Murdoch, News Corporation and the Corruption of Britain, Penguin Books, 2012, p.263.
- ↑ Tom Watson & Martin Hickman, Dial M for Murdoch, News Corporation and the Corruption of Britain, Penguin Books, 2012, p.264.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Operation Elveden: Prison officer, three journalists and member of the public to be charged, Crown Prosecution Service, 8 July 2013.
- ↑ CPS drops cases against three newspaper staff investigated in Elveden bribery probe, Press Gazette, 31 July 2013.
- ↑ Operation Elveden: Former Daily Mirror journalist and eight others to be charged, Crown Prosecution Service, 20 August 2013.
