LONDON (AP) — The final two journalists charged in a huge tabloid bribery investigation have been acquitted — the latest in a string of not-guilty verdicts in the cases.

News editor Chris Pharo and reporter Jamie Pyatt of The Sun were cleared by a jury at London's Central Criminal Court of illegally paying a police officer.

They were charged as part of an investigation into tabloid wrongdoing triggered by the 2011 revelation of illegal phone hacking at Rupert Murdoch's now-defunct News of the World.

Juries have proved reluctant to convict journalists who paid police, prison guards and other officials for stories. Just two journalists have been found guilty, although more than 20 officials have been convicted of leaking information.

Outside court Thursday, Pharo said the acquittal was "the end of a four-year-long nightmare."