Damian Green will not face charges

“Insufficient evidence” means Tory MP Damian Green will not face charges over an inquiry into Home Office leaks.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) made the announcement today, April 16 and Mr Green, who was arrested last November over allegations of leaking sensitive information, said he was “very pleased” with the decision.

Mr Green was arrested and held by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) for nine hours. His offices in Kent, in the Houses of Parliament and his home were searched. He was later released on bail.

Chief Constable Ian Johnston of British Transport Police (BTP) conducted a review into the inquiry carried out by the MPS at the time, concluding that while the searches were lawful, Mr Green’s arrest may not have been proportionate. The MPS will be reviewing the report with its lawyers.

Home Office worker, Christopher Galley, who passed on the leaked information regarding immigration and crime to the press, will also not face prosecution.

Speaking outside Parliament Mr Green said: “I`m obviously very pleased with the director of public prosecutions` decision this morning.”

He added: “This has been an extraordinary period that has led to the first arrest of an opposition politician for doing his job since Britain became a democracy.

“I cannot think of a better symbol of an out-of-touch, authoritarian, failing government that has been in power much too long.”

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer, QC, said today that once a pattern of leaks had been established it was inevitable that a police investigation would follow, thought there has been criticism regarding exaggeration of the problem faced.

Mr Starmer described the police investigation as “thorough” and without it he would not have been able to reach a conclusion on the particular facts of the case.

He said there was evidence upon which a jury might find that there was “damage to the proper functioning of the Home Office and that the unauthorised leaking of restricted and/or confidential information is not beyond the reach of the criminal law”.

A report from the Commons home affairs committee criticised senior officials at the Cabinet Office and Home Office for exaggerating the damage done to national security by the leaks.

MPs have suggested that a less sensationalist description of the problem may not have led police to launch a criminal.

Acting Commissioner Specialist Operations John Yates said:

“The MPS was called in by the Cabinet Office at the beginning of October 2008 to investigate suspected criminal offences in relation to a substantial series of leaks from the Home Office.

“We were told that these potentially involved national security and the impeding of the efficient and effective conduct of government.

“We recognise that this was always going to be a sensitive investigation and we understand the extensive debate that it has generated.

“However, our priority has always been to conduct a thorough investigation, and as with all operations it was our duty to secure any available evidence.

“An independent review by British Transport Police Chief Constable Ian Johnston concluded that both arrests and the searches carried out as part of the inquiry were lawful.

“Mr Johnston did, however, question whether the manner of the MP`s arrest was proportionate.

“In the light of today`s announcement by the Crown Prosecution Service we are reviewing Mr Johnston`s report with our lawyers to establish what we can make public as soon as possible.”