Former safety guard at British embassy in Berlin admits spying for Russia

A former safety guard on the British embassy in Berlin faces as much as 14 years in jail after admitting to prices of spying for Russia.

David Ballantyne Smith, 58, a British citizen of no fastened deal with, pleaded responsible on the Outdated Bailey in London to eight prices underneath the Official Secrets and techniques Act. The offences occurred between October 2020 and August 2021.

Smith was arrested by German police on August 10 final yr and was extradited to Britain in April.

The costs included one in every of making an attempt to speak with basic main Sergey Chukhurov, the Russian navy attaché primarily based on the Russian embassy in Berlin, with particulars of the identities, addresses and phone numbers of numerous civil servants.

He additionally admitted to 2 prices of creating video recordings of the CCTV system on the embassy, which allowed him to gather info of the format of the constructing and its operation.

He additionally admitted to speaking details about the embassy constructing to the Russian state and making an unauthorised photocopy of paperwork on August 5 2021.

Smith entered the pleas final week however reporting restrictions have been solely lifted on Friday when prosecutors stated they might not search a trial of a ninth cost, which he denied.

He is because of be sentenced at a later date for the costs, which carry a most of 14 years in jail.

The case comes as western governments step up their guard in opposition to the risk posed by Russian intelligence companies as they proceed to assist Ukraine in its battle with Russia.

Final month, the authorities in Norway arrested a person who they stated was posing as a Brazilian college researcher however was in actual fact a Russian spy, a so-called “sleeper agent” who had spent years build up a deep-cover id.

In 2010, US authorities arrested 10 Russian brokers for making an attempt to steal US authorities secrets and techniques, together with Anna Chapman, who subsequently turn into a minor movie star within the west in addition to in Moscow. Greater than 300 Russians have been ejected from EU member states for the reason that invasion of Ukraine earlier this yr.