Nick Parker is accused of receiving stolen goods and unauthorised access to computer material

This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

The Sun journalist Nick Parker and a second man are to be charged with offences linked to the alleged theft of Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh's mobile phone.

Parker is accused of one offence of receiving stolen goods and one offence of unauthorised access to computer material, prosecutors announced on Friday.

He is to be charged alongside Michael Ankers, a 29-year-old man from south-west London, over a mobile phone allegedly stolen from McDonagh in 2010.

Gregor McGill, a senior lawyer at the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "The CPS has today authorised the Metropolitan police to charge Nick Parker with one offence of receiving stolen goods and one offence of unauthorised access to computer material.

"We have also authorised the police to charge Michael Ankers, 29, from south-west London, with theft."

Parker and Ankers have been told to appear at Westminster magistrates' court on 6 November to face the charges.

The CPS added that there was insufficient evidence to charge one other suspect in relation to the stolen mobile phone allegations.

McGill added: "May I remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against Nick Parker and Michael Ankers will now be commenced and that they have a right to a fair trial. It is very important that nothing is said, or reported, which could prejudice that trial. For these reasons it would be inappropriate for me to comment further."

Parker, the Sun's chief foreign correspondent, was first arrested last July under Operation Tuleta, the Metropolitan police's investigation into allegations of computer hacking and other breaches of privacy.

McDonagh, a former whip in Gordon Brown's government and the MP for Mitcham and Morden, was awarded substantial damages from News UK earlier this year after launching legal action against the Sun for misuse of private information.