'I'm sure you committed these crimes intending to assist Russia' A judge says that a Russian spy's motive was to 'damage British interests'. David Ballantyne Smith pleaded guilty to eight charges under the Official Secrets Act 1911 and 1920. 📺 Sky 501
A British embassy security guard caught spying for the Russians has been sentenced to more than 13 years in prison.
David Ballantyne Smith, 58, pleaded guilty to eight charges under the Official Secrets Act 1911 and 1920 but claimed he did not intentionally cause any harm.Image:Smith, from Paisley, Scotland, claimed he was depressed, lonely and drinking up to seven pints a day when he started leaking embassy secrets in an effort to cause embarrassment.
Mr Justice Wall said during sentencing at the Old Bailey that he collected material to"damage British interests" and provided that information to a"hostile power".He provided names, photographs and personal details of embassy staff as well as secret documents to Russian officials. He also filmed an extensive walk around the embassy which revealed the layout of the building and its offices, taking care to film through windows.
Mr Justice Wall said Smith"developed decidedly anti-British and anti-Western feeling" and that this was the"direct cause" of the offending.Colleagues heard Smith criticise the UK and Germany and felt he was sympathetic to Russia and President Putin.While Smith's sentence relates to crimes committed from 2020 to his arrest in 2021, the judge said he was sure the former security guard began collecting information in 2018.
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