Four people, including a weekly newspaper journalist, have appeared in court to answer charges in connection with alleged leaks of sensitive information to the press.

Sally Murrer, (49), who works for the Milton Keynes Citizen, is charged with three offences of aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office.

She appeared at Kingston upon Thames Magistrates Court with three other defendants – an ex-policeman, a soldier and a private detective – who were also accused on misconduct charges.

No details of the charges were read out in court.

The hearing was transferred to Kingston Crown Court.