MI5 and its staff will not face contempt of court proceedings despite the spy agency admitting that its evidence to three courts was a lie, senior judges have ruled.

The three judges, including Lady Chief Justice Baroness Sue Carr, say a contempt case would be too complex for the court to manage, meaning it is not in the public interest to proceed.

The police have the right “investigatory powers and resources” to handle the case, they rule, with individual MI5 officers now potentially facing investigation for misconduct in public office.

MI5 gave false evidence to three courts in a case concerning an abusive informant known as Agent X.