London - A senior British counterterrorism detective was found guilty Thursday of trying to sell information to Rupert Murdoch's News of the World tabloid.
Detective Chief Inspector April Casburn was charged with misconduct for allegedly phoning the newspaper and offering to pass on information about whether London's police force would reopen its stalled phone hacking investigation.
Prosecutors said the newspaper did not print a story based on her call and no money changed hands. However, they said, she had committed a “gross breach” of the public trust by offering to sell the information. She was accused of trying to undermine the inquiry by leaking information to the press.
Casburn, 53, who managed the Metropolitan Police terrorist financing investigation unit, had denied the charges. Jurors at Southwark Crown Court found her guilty of one count of misconduct. She will be sentenced later this month.
The long-running phone hacking scandal has led to dozens of arrests. It involved allegations of illegal snooping on celebrities, crime victims, politicians and others.
Murdoch closed the News of the World tabloid after many of its misdeeds were exposed. - Sapa-AP