Friends who attempted to sell stolen "intimate" mobile phone images of ex-Blue Peter presenter John Leslie and his girlfriend were described as a "grubby little trio" by a judge today.

Sophie Queffeleant, her boyfriend Daniel Graves, and Lee Spring wanted £20,000 from The People newspaper for the images contained on the mobile phone of Leslie's then girlfriend Rachel Bentley.

Single mother Queffeleant, 34, of Underwood Road, Southwick, West Sussex, pleaded guilty to stealing the phone of former Southern FM workmate Rachel Bentley on August 11 last year.

Graves, 32, who lives with Queffeleant, and Spring, 32, of Carden Avenue, Brighton, both admitted handling stolen goods between August 1 and 12 last year.

Prosecutor Marcus Fletcher said Ms Bentley's phone contained images "of herself, of him, of his dog, and various other things. There were personal images, intimate images".

Her phone disappeared while she was at work.

Mr Fletcher said: "She described Sophie Queffeleant as a close friend... She was aware of the photographs on the phone."

Ms Bentley was unaware of the deal being done behind her back until she was asked for a comment by The People on August 13 last year.

"They were preparing to present a story about the stolen phone the next day," Mr Fletcher said.

The newspaper told her it had been approached by two men demanding £20,000 for the mobile phone images, he added.