Dear Service Prosecuting Authority,

I request you disclose all communications between the SPA and public servants external to the SPA at OF5 status and higher (including military officers and civil servants) during the period of the court martial of Flt Lt Andrew Townshend.

For clarity:

- Written communication (including electronic and mobile text messages) should be published.

- All known records of verbal communications (including dates, times and parties to telephone calls) should be declared.

- All meetings of the SPA with external personnel of OF5 status or higher (including military officers and civil servants) whose purpose related to Flt Lt Andy Townshend's court martial should also be disclosed, along with any agenda and minutes.

As a further request, where costs permit, extend the period under consideration above to 2 weeks before commencement of the trial and provide that information.

If the SPA cannot answer this request for any reason, I ask that the request be diverted to the MOD in order that they answer the same questions relating to any contact of its personnel (OF5 and higher) with the SPA.

Because of the recency of the court martial and the potential for information to be lost, I ask that this request be treated as a priority. Thank you for your time.

Yours faithfully,

Laura Owens

Dear SPA-CENTRALINFO (MULTIUSER),

Thank you for your response and the time taken to consider this matter.

I am satisfied that, at present or in the near future, there may be ongoing proceedings. However, I am not satisfied that disclosure of such information would be prejudicial to the administration of justice in those proceedings, though it may be prejudicial to the likelihood of the conviction standing. I am also not satisfied that the SPA, as a body that serves to lose reputation from such disclosure and as the body solely interested in proving guilt in this case, is appropriately placed to make a public interest judgement in this matter. This is because the SPA has only the interest of the MOD at heart and not that of the subject, whereas the public interest lies more with the fair application of justice rather than a beneficial outcome for the MOD. I request an internal review by the SPA on all information that does not fall under the Data Protection Act exclusion. If this review finds against me, I will request that a body fully independent of the SPA and MOD carry out a review.

Thank you,

Laura Owens