Hatfield Peverel police officer guilty over 'cash for leaks'

A senior Metropolitan Police officer from Hatfield Peverel has been found guilty of misconduct in a public office for offering the now defunct News of the World (NOTW) confidential information in return for cash.

Detective Chief Inspector April Casburn, who ran Scotland Yard's National Terrorist Financial Investigation unit, had denied the offence.

She was convicted of offering to leak details of the phone hacking inquiry to the NOTW at Southwark Crown Court in London today.

Casburn, 53, will be sentenced on an as yet unfixed date later this month.

She was released on unconditional bail following today's hearing.

A Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) spokesman said:"There is no place for corrupt officers or staff in the MPS and we hope this prosecution demonstrates that leaking - or in this case trying to sell - confidential information to journalists for personal gain, will not be tolerated.

"There may be occasions when putting certain information into the public domain - so-called whistle-blowing - can be justified.

"This was not one of them.

"In this case, DCI Casburn proactively approached the News of the World, the very newspaper being investigated, to make money.

"She betrayed the service and let down her colleagues - the hard-working honest police officers who make up the vast majority of the MPS.

"Fortunately this type of behaviour is rare but we hope today's verdict shows the public can have confidence that the MPS holds itself to account."