Sun journalist Nick Parker one of two facing charges linked to theft of MP Siobhain McDonagh's phone

Sun journalist Nick Parker and a member of the public are facing charges linked to the theft of a mobile phone belonging to MP Siobhain McDonagh (Getty Images)

A Sun journalist and a member of the public are facing charges linked to the theft of a mobile phone belonging to Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh.

Nick Parker, a journalist from the paper, is accused of one count of receiving stolen goods and one of unauthorised access to computer material, while Michael Ankers, 29, from south west London, faces one count of theft.

Both men will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 6 November.

Gregor McGill, a senior lawyer at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), 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."

Mr McGill said prosecutors had decided there was insufficient evidence to charge another suspect in relation to the case.

The full charges that Parker, 52, from Twickenham, faces allegations that between 17 October and 21, 2010 he dishonestly received stolen goods, namely a mobile phone belonging to Siobhain McDonagh and between the same dates he caused a computer to perform a function with intent to secure unauthorised access to a program or data held in a computer, knowing that such access was unauthorised.

It is alleged that Ankers stole the mobile phone on or around 17 October 2010.

Additional reporting by Press Association