A PRISON officer and his brother have denied trying to sell "confidential and sensitive" documents to a Sunday newspaper.

Paul Capewell, a prison officer at Durham's top security Frankland Jail, is accused of removing the items and using brother John as a go-between to approach a national newspaper over the potential sale.

It is said the documents in question were taken from the prison, which houses a number of Category 'A' inmates, between January 1 and September 17, last year.

Forty-one-year-old Mr Capewell, who was suspended when the allegations came to light, today pleaded 'not guilty' to a charge of misconduct in public office.

The charge reads that between the dates in question, being a public officer at HM Prison Frankland, he wilfully misconducted himself to such a degree as to amount to an abuse of the public trust in such an office holder, in that he, in particular, removed confidential and sensitive prison documents from HMP Frankland and divulged it to others, without reasonable excuse or justification.

His brother John, 44, denies a charge of aiding and abetting misconduct in public office.

He is said to have made approaches to potentially sell on the documents, which the prosecution claim was given to him by his brother, to the News of the World.

Both made their pleas during a short hearing at Durham Crown Court.

The case was adjourned for a trial at the court expected to run for between five and seven days.

Judge Christopher Prince said there should be a pre-trial hearing to ensure all information and permissible evidence is gathered by prosecution and defence sides.

The pre-trial hearing is on August 10, with the provisional starting trial date of Monday November 9, to be presided over Judge Richard Lowden Both Paul Capewell, of South Shields, South Tyneside, and John, of Wallsend, North Tyneside, were bailed to next return to court for the trial, in November.

Neither is required to attend the pre-trial hearing.