Tory MP Damian Green used his one phone call allowed after arrest to contact the former News of the World editor Andy Coulson.
Conservative MP Damian Green used his one phone call when he was arrested over alleged Home Office leaks to ring Andy Coulson, the former editor of the News of the World, according to a claim in written evidence to the Leveson inquiry.
The then-shadow immigration minister chose to contact the former News of the World editor when he was held by police on November 27, 2008, according to the officer who led the investigation.
Former Scotland Yard assistant commissioner Bob Quick has revealed that Green rang Coulson, then the Conservative party's director of communications, from Belgravia police station in London.
Quick said in a written statement to the inquiry published on Thursday: "At the police station Green went through the normal reception processes and, in accordance with standard procedure, was asked to nominate a person to be notified of his arrest and to whom he would be allowed one phone call.
"Green nominated Andy Coulson and was allowed to make one call to Mr Coulson. At the time Mr Coulson was director of communications for the Conservative party."
The Tory MP was arrested and released on bail in connection with a series of leaks at the Home Office in 2008.
Quick, who was the officer in charge of the investigation into leaks was quizzed about the arrests at Leveson on Wednesday and claimed that the investigation was dropped following pressure from the Conservative party, including leaks to rightwing papers.
in his witness statement, Quick said that the former Metropolitan police commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson and ex-assistant commissioner John Yates both tried to persuade him to drop the controversial Green investigation.
The Crown Prosecution Service announced in April 2009 that neither Green nor junior Home Office civil servant Christopher Galley would face prosecution over the leaks.
Coulson was arrested and bailed by police on suspicion of phone hacking and corruption last July.
A spokesman for Green declined to comment.
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Conservative MP Damian Green used his one phone call when he was arrested over alleged Home Office leaks to ring Andy Coulson, the former editor of the News of the World, according to a claim in written evidence to the Leveson inquiry.
The then-shadow immigration minister chose to contact the former News of the World editor when he was held by police on November 27, 2008, according to the officer who led the investigation.
Former Scotland Yard assistant commissioner Bob Quick has revealed that Green rang Coulson, then the Conservative party's director of communications, from Belgravia police station in London.
Quick said in a written statement to the inquiry published on Thursday: "At the police station Green went through the normal reception processes and, in accordance with standard procedure, was asked to nominate a person to be notified of his arrest and to whom he would be allowed one phone call.
"Green nominated Andy Coulson and was allowed to make one call to Mr Coulson. At the time Mr Coulson was director of communications for the Conservative party."
The Tory MP was arrested and released on bail in connection with a series of leaks at the Home Office in 2008.
Quick, who was the officer in charge of the investigation into leaks was quizzed about the arrests at Leveson on Wednesday and claimed that the investigation was dropped following pressure from the Conservative party, including leaks to rightwing papers.
in his witness statement, Quick said that the former Metropolitan police commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson and ex-assistant commissioner John Yates both tried to persuade him to drop the controversial Green investigation.
The Crown Prosecution Service announced in April 2009 that neither Green nor junior Home Office civil servant Christopher Galley would face prosecution over the leaks.
Coulson was arrested and bailed by police on suspicion of phone hacking and corruption last July.
A spokesman for Green declined to comment.
• To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".
• To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook
