Green told: you face life in prison

Apr 17 2009

A Tory frontbencher arrested over Home Office leaks was told by police that he faced life imprisonment, it has emerged.

Tory immigration spokesman Damian Green, who will not face criminal charges, said arresting officers told him in November: "Do you realise that this offence could lead to life imprisonment?"

Mr Green was arrested and held by the Metropolitan Police for nine hours on suspicion of "conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office, and aiding and abetting, counselling or procuring misconduct in a public office".

Mr Green told BBC Two's Newsnight that he thought the officer's assertion was "absurd".

The Director of Public Prosecutions saidthat the leaked information was not damaging enough for charges to be brought against either Mr Green or Christopher Galley, the Home Office civil servant behind the leaks.