Operation Elveden: The Sun royal editor to be charged

The Sun’s royal editor Duncan Larcombe is to be charged with conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has announced that several individuals are to be charged over conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office. They include Duncan Larcombe, John Hardy who was a Colour Sergeant based at the Royal Military Training Academy in Sandhurst and his wife Claire Hardy.

It is alleged that from 10 February to 15 October 2008, 34 payments were made to either John Hardy or Claire Hardy totalling over £23,000 for stories relating mainly to the Royal Family or matters at Sandhurst.

A ministry of defence employee, Tracy Bell, who was a pharmacy assistant, has also been charged with one count of misconduct in public office. It is alleged that Tracy Bell received £1250 between 17 October 2005 and 7 July 2006 relating to five articles published in The Sun regarding matters at Sandhurst.

Operation Elveden was set up by the Metropolitan Police Service in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal in 2011.