FCO leak case dropped
Derek Pasquill's trial was abandoned on day one at the Old Bailey
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Wednesday, 09, Jan 2008 02:58
Prosecutors have abandoned their case against a Foreign Office civil servant who allegedly leaked a memo damaging the government.
Day one of 48-year-old Derek Pasquill's trial saw the prosecution tell the Old Bailey it had received information demonstrating the material released by Mr Pasquill had not had a negative effect.
As a result all six charges laid against him were dropped, prompting criticism from defence lawyer Julian Knowles.
He said Mr Pasquill could have escaped the stress of enduring a 20-month investigation from the Special Branch.
John Kampfner, editor of the New Statesman which published the document released by Mr Pasquill, described the outcome as a "great victory for free speech".
He said the "malicious and misguided prosecution" had been especially regrettable given the number of ministers he claimed had privately admitted Mr Pasquill's information was in the public interest.