A Kentish Town soldier in Prince Harry’s regiment who was convicted of providing information and pictures about him to two newspapers has had his conviction quashed.

Paul Brunt, 32, of Bartholomew Road, then a lance corporal in the Blues and Royals regiment of the Household Cavalry, provided details about Harry and other soldiers in the unit to the News of the World (NOTW) and The Sun over an 18-month period in 2006 and 2007 in exchange for thousands of pounds.

Brunt was convicted by an Old Bailey jury in March of two counts of misconduct in public office, while NOTW reporter Ryan Sabey was found guilty of aiding and abetting the offence.

Yesterday, Lord Thomas, the Lord Chief Justice, sitting with Mr Justice Simon and Mr Justice Cranston overturned Sabey and Brunt’s convictions on appeal.

The decision had been widely expected after the Crown Prosecution Service announced in April that nine out of 12 remaining Operation Elveden cases would be dropped.

Prosecutor Julian Christopher QC told the court the CPS would not seek a retrial against Sabey, but applied for a retrial of Brunt as it is “in the public interest”.

The Lord Chief Justice allowed a retrial at the Old Bailey for Brunt, and ordered that he is brought before the court within seven days.