Journalist’s victory ends ‘years of hell’

THE Sun’s crime reporter Anthony France has won an appeal against his conviction.

Mr France, 42, from Watford, Hertfordshire, was accused during his trial at the Old Bailey of cultivating a “corrupt relationship” with a police officer over four years.

He was originally given a jail sentence of 18 months, suspended for two years.

Mr France was the only journalist to be successfully tried in the wake of a police investigation into payments to public officials.

After the Court of Appeal judgment, he said: “I am delighted this serious miscarriage of justice has ended, allowing me to rebuild my life after 1,379 days of sheer hell.”

Bob Satchwell, of the Society of Editors, said: “There needs to be far wider protection for journalists.”