A cop was jailed after being accused of having been paid almost $5,000 to expose information to journalists about Kate Middleton before Prince William proposed, according to a Wednesday report.

The Sun paid Paul Flattley for 39 stories to which he had contributed information over the course of three years. He further encouraged colleagues to visit the duchess to find out information about rumors regarding her engagement to the Duke of Cambridge Prince William, entertainmentwise.com reported.

Flattley was sent to jail in March for two years, after he admitted to committing misconduct in a public office. He was arrested Jan. 28 of last year. Details were released this week after reporting restrictions were lifted from the case.

The officer had promised a journalist he would confirm the rumor about Prince William’s proposal to the duchess with his former sergeant, who was Middleton’s protection officer at the time, according to a report by U.K's The Independent. Flattley also exposed information about other occurrences, including a robbery from royal Zara Phillips’ car and details about the death of a 15-year-old girl.

The Sun’s paper defense editor Virgina Wheeler was also charged, cited with performing misconduct in a public office. Wheeler was accused of making several of the payments to Flattley for his discoveries about the royal couple. However, the Crown Prosecution Service announced Wednesday that Wheeler was unfit to stand trial and they would not proceed with the case against her.

“Paul Flattley did not come on duty to serve the public, he came on duty to exploit them," Detective Chief Superintendent Gordon Briggs, from the Metropolitan Police, said. "Flattley abused his privileged position as a police officer and the stories he sold had nothing to do with whistle-blowing or the public interest. “

Tags: Kate Middleton Prince William paul flattley