A FORMER Surrey Police officer has confessed to selling stories - including details about footballer John Terry's mother - to The Sun newspaper.
Alan Tierney, 40, from Hayling Island in Hampshire, has pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to two offences of misconduct in a public office.
He had been charged as part of the Operation Elveden inquiry into corrupt payments made by journalists to public officials in exchange for information.
The court heard yesterday (Friday, March 8) how Tierney passed on details about two stories in 2009.
The first was about the mother of footballer Terry being cautioned for shoplifting while the other was about Rolling Stone rock star Ronnie Wood being cautioned for assault after an incident with his then girlfriend.
The former officer admitted one count of misconduct in a public office between 26 March and 3 April 2009, and the second between 2 and 7 December 2009.
Tierney was released on bail and will be sentenced on 27 March.
He is the second police officer to be convicted under Operation Elveden, following the case of ex-counter-terrorism detective April Casburn.
Surrey Police dismissed Tierney last summer (2012) after referring the matter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC)
It said in a statement: "Surrey Police has supported the Operation Elveden investigation and has had officers working within the Metropolitan Police's team to assist with this case.
"The force is committed to dealing with any incidents of corruption and will not hesitate to take quick and decisive action if there is evidence that any officer is involved in conduct of this type."