Sun journalists face retrial over corruption claims

Four Sun journalists accused of corrupting public officials face a retrial after a jury failed to reach verdicts following a three-month hearing.

Head of news Chris Pharo, ex-deputy news editor Ben O'Driscoll, reporter Jamie Pyatt and former managing editor Graham Dudman had been accused - along with two colleagues - of conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office.

They had denied all charges and claimed they were "fed to the wolves" by News International to protect the company's reputation in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal.

The jury was discharged after it failed to reach verdicts despite 49 hours of deliberating at Kingston Crown Court. Prosecutors said they would seek a retrial.

Two fellow defendants - the Sun's picture editor John Edwards and former reporter John Troup - were cleared of conspiring to commit misconduct in public office by the jury last Friday.

Read more: Jury fails to reach verdicts against Sun journalists