A civil servant arrested over alleged Home Office leaks passed information to Conservative immigration spokesman Damian Green in the belief that it would be used "in a responsible manner in the public interest", his lawyer said today.

Christopher Galley's solicitor Neil O'May was speaking at a press conference in London following Mr Green's arrest last week.

The Tory MP, who denies all wrongdoing, is on bail pending further questioning in February.

Mr O'May said his client was unable to speak as he is still under active police investigation and due to return to police in January.

But he added: "If ever there was a case of 'don't shoot the messenger', this is surely it."

He denied that Mr Galley had been knowingly used by police after his arrest in an attempt to entrap Mr Green.

Mr O'May, of Bindmans, said: "Christopher Galley first met Damian Green in the Houses of Parliament in 2006. He was in contact with Mr Green over the following two years, including further meetings with him.

"Mr Galley gave Damian Green information which was important for the public to know in an open and democratic parliamentary system.

"As a shadow minister for immigration and as a Member of Parliament, Damian Green received the information in the same spirit and used it in his parliamentary duties.

"In providing this information for a shadow minister, Mr Galley believed that it would be used in a highly responsible manner in the public interest."

Speaking on behalf of Mr Galley, Neil O'May, of Bindmans law firm, said: "We are here to give a statement to you in light of the various rumours that have been circulating.

"There has been much speculation and rumour circulating in the last few days following the arrest of Mr Damien Green."

He said he was "here to put the record straight".

His client met Mr Green in 2006 in the House of Commons and met him over the course of the next two years, he said.

"Mr Galley gave Mr Green information that was important for the public to know in an open and democratic system."

He said Mr Green "received the information in the same spirit and used it in the course of his parliamentary duties".

Mr O'May said his client "believed that it would be used in a responsible manner".

Mr Galley was arrested "in a dawn raid by the anti-terrorism officers at his home on November 19 this year", Mr O'May said.

He was held and questioned and volunteered the whereabouts of his computer, mobile phone and the documents the police were interested in, Mr O'May added.

"Those who instigated this investigation against a civil servant who was giving information to an MP should consider whether this was a proportionate way to deal with the issue.

"If there was ever a case of don't shoot the messenger then this is it."

He said as his client is on bail until January awaiting a police decision in his case he could not answer any questions.

In a separate statement, Mr O'May refuted suggestions made in the press that Mr Galley was "knowingly used by police to entrap Mr Green". He said: "This is a malicious rumour and wholly untrue."

Mr O'May insisted the leaked documents were "embarrassment material" and important to holding the Government to account.

"It's really not state secret, national security, terrorism, financial jeopardy, loss, gain or otherwise - nothing remotely like that," he said.

He declined to comment on how Mr Galley would plead if charged with any offence.

"We haven't reached that stage," he added. "Let's hope he's not charged with anything."

Mr O'May said the investigation was "certainly pretty extraordinary when you look at the kind of material that was passed across and the damage, if I can say that, done to the Government".

This was not a case when the Official Secrets Act had been breached, he said.

"This follows a period when there have been some damaging disclosures. Why it has been that this was not investigated in a more proportionate manner I cannot say and why everybody on the police radar in this investigation has been arrested I don't know."

Asked why police were not using powers granted to them under the Official Secrets Act, he said: "Instinct is to say that it is because the material that was passed across was at the very lowest level, the sort of thing that was almost in the public domain already."

He said Mr Galley had no further contact points in the Houses of Parliament other than Mr Green.

He said his client did not regard himself as guilty of a criminal offence but refused to comment on whether Mr Galley believed his behaviour was appropriate for a civil servant.

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