Leveson Inquiry: Top cops tried to close down leaks inquiry

Two top Scotland Yard officers tried to shut down their force’s investigation into Whitehall leaks to Conservative MP Damian Green, the Leveson Inquiry heard.

Former Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson and former assistant commissioner John Yates urged Bob Quick, the officer in charge of the case, to drop the inquiry. Mr Yates said the 2008-9 investigation into Home Office leaks was “doomed” and advised former assistant commissioner Mr Quick to “cut his losses”, the press standards inquiry heard.

Mr Quick also claimed that Sir Paul, then acting commissioner, told him on 1 December, 2008, that he had “written out his resignation” amid political and media furore about the Met’s arrest of Mr Green.

The inquiry also heard that Mr Yates denied fellow police officers access to his phone records in a separate leak investigation because he was “very well connected”. Mr Quick said former senior Met officer Andy Hayman refused in 2000 to launch an inquiry into claims that journalists were paying corrupt police officers up to £2,000 for stories about celebrities.

The CPS announced in April 2009 that neither Mr Green nor junior Home Office civil servant Christopher Galley would face prosecution over the leaks.