Alan Tierney admitted leaking information about John Terry's mum and Ronnie Wood after their arrest (Reuters)
Alan Tierney admitted leaking information about footballer John Terry's mother and Ronnie Wood (Reuters)

A former police officer has pleaded guilty to selling information to The Sun about John Terry's mother and about Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood.

PC Alan Tierney, 40, of Hayling Island, Hampshire, pleaded guilty to two counts of misconduct in a public office after selling personal details about the footballer's mother and the guitarist's arrests for £1,750.

Tierney was with Surrey Police.

Terry's mum, Sue, was arrested on suspicion of shoplifting and Wood, 65, was arrested on suspicion of assaulting his then girlfriend, Ekaterina Ivanova. Both accepted cautions.

Prison officer Richard Trunkfield also pleaded guilty to a separate case of selling information to the newspaper.

Trunkfield, 31, an operational support officer at HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes, admitted to leaking information about a "high-profile prisoner" to the newspaper for £3,350.

Tierney and Trunkfield were charged as part of Operation Elveden into corrupt payments. Both will be sentenced at a later date.

A second ex-police officer and another public official pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office at the Old Bailey. Neither could be named for legal reasons.

Former News International chief Rebekah Brooks and ex-government spin doctor Andy Coulson also appeared in court on charges of conspiracy to bribe public officials.

They appeared in court along with former Sun reporter John Kay and Ministry of Defence official Bettina Jordan-Barber.

Coulson, 45, is accused along with ex-royal correspondent for NOTW Clive Goodman of requesting and authorisating payments to public officials in exchange for information, including a palace phone directory known as the "Green Book" containing contact details for the royal family and members of the royal household.

Their case was adjourned.

In a separate case, Brooks and Kay are accused of making payments of about £100,000 to Jordan-Barber for information.

Kay pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office. Brook's case was also adjourned.