London, September 23 (RHC)-- Two British journalists have gone on trial accused of paying a police officer for information for stories. According to prosecutors, the officer got about £10,000 over 10 years. They added that the “corrupt relationship" was based on "tip-offs" on incidents, arrests or celebrities.

The journalists Chris Pharo, and Jamie Pyatt from Sun newspaper both deny the accusation. The officer was not named for legal reasons. Media reports say, he is accused of receiving bribes since 2002. The officer was allegedly paid in cash or by a Thomas Cook money transfer 18 times over a decade.

Prosecutors said: ”This was not some technical breach of the rules… we don't expect our police officers to have two paymasters, to be carrying out their public duties with an eye to what they can make on the side by secretly tipping off the press, to be accessing the police computers looking for information which they can sell."