Sun journalists cleared of paying public officials

Bettina Jordan-Barber, a senior official at the Ministry of Defence who leaked scoops to The Sun, gave the newspaper details about the death of Major Matthew Bacon, who was killed in Iraq in 2005.

His father Roger Bacon told ITV News Correspondent Paul Davies that Jordan-Barber's actions were "contemptible":

More: Ministry of Defence senior official who pocketed £100,000 from the sale of scoops to The Sun jailed for 12 months

The Sun's executive editor Fergus Shanahan, 60, said despite the acquittal of four journalists at the Old Bailey their families had been through a "terrible ordeal".

After hugging supporters outside court, Mr Shanahan said: "Obviously I'm very grateful to the jury for taking such time over the verdict. They put an enormous amount of thought into it."

He said the issues that the jurors in the case had to deal with were complicated and "complex".

The executive editor told reporters that the trial had been a "terrible ordeal" for the families of the people involved.

While journalists may have "thick skin" and "can look after ourselves", the loved ones had been put under "the most appalling strain for three years", he said.

The journalist added that his thoughts were with colleagues facing trial in the future and he expressed the hope that there would be a "sensible result, a right result".

Sun chief reporter John Kay - one of four journalists acquitted at the Old Bailey - said he was "very, very upset" a trusted source of the Sun newspaper had been jailed.

Thanking family and friends who stood by him Mr Kay, 71, said: "It's a great relief that a three-year ordeal is over.

"I just hope that this result bears fruit for other colleagues in a similar predicament."

Asked about his source Bettina Jordan-Barber, who was jailed for a year after pleading guilty, he said: "I'm very, very upset that a trusted source of the Sun ended up in jail as a result of betrayal by my own company."

Calls for a "witch hunt" against newspaper journalists to end came amid emotional scenes outside court when four senior Sun journalists were cleared of wrongdoing over payments to public officials for stories.

Royal editor Duncan Larcombe appeared tearful as he left the Old Bailey with his arm around his wife who had supported him throughout the trial. Asked if he thought charges against other journalists should be dropped, he said: "Of course I think that, but this is all I'm really allowed to say." The 39-year-old journalist said he was "just relieved" at the verdict.

Four senior journalists from The Sun, including chief reporter John Kay and royal editor Duncan Larcombe, have been cleared at the Old Bailey of paying public officials for stories.

Kay, 71, and Larcombe, 39, were found not guilty of wrongdoing over their contact with two military sources between 2004 and 2012.

The Sun's executive editor Fergus Shanahan, 60, and deputy editor Geoff Webster, 55, were also cleared over allegations that they signed off payments.

All the defendants had denied the charges against them.