'Sun' reporter cleared of bribery charge

A senior reporter for the Rupert Murdoch-owned 'Sun' tabloid was today cleared of charges of bribing a police officer but was found guilty of handling a stolen mobile of a woman MP.
Nick Parker was found not guilty of aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office but convicted for handling a Labour MP's stolen mobile at the Old Bailey court here today.
The 53-year-old was found guilty of handling Siobhain McDonagh's phone to read private text messages about the Miliband brothers' leadership battle which led to Ed Miliband taking over as Opposition Labour party leader.
He was convicted along with college student Michael Ankers, who tried to sell the contents of the BlackBerry to the tabloid newspaper and was found guilty of theft.

The court heard that Parker was so eager for a scoop that he agreed a holding contract of 10,000 Pounds to see the texts.
He justified looking at the contents of the stolen BlackBerry phone because he had been told there was evidence of "criminality" on it.

He told jurors: "Journalists are obliged to work in a grey area sometimes. They are obliged to take risks.
"I was sent to work on that phone. It's run by lawyers, it's run by news desk, senior managers. They sent me. I do not accept I acted unlawfully at all."
The journalist was cleared of the more serious offence of aiding and abetting Surrey Police officer Alan Tierney to commit misconduct in a public office.