Civil servant leaked 'Iraq memo'

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A secret Downing Street memo on talks about Iraq between US President George Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair was leaked, the Old Bailey has heard.

Civil Servant David Keogh gave the memo to political researcher Leo O'Connor at a dining club in Northampton, a jury was told.

It was passed to Northampton South MP Anthony Clarke, who called the police.

Mr Keogh, 50, and Mr O'Connor, 44, both from Northampton, deny three charges under the Official Secrets Act 1989.

Some of the evidence in the trial will be heard in camera - away from the public and press - the jury has been told by the judge.

Charges denied

David Perry QC, prosecuting, said the reason the memo was leaked was to bring its contents into the public domain.

But the record of the 16 April, 2004, meeting in Washington was sensitive and concerned US and UK policy towards Iraq.

Mr Keogh, a communications officer at the Cabinet Office, was alleged to have passed the memo to Mr O'Connor between 15 April and 29 May 2004.

He denies two charges of making a damaging disclosure of a government document as a Crown servant without lawful authority.

Mr O'Connor denies a charge of making a damaging disclosure of a document passed to him illegally.

The trial continues.