British embassy guard who spied for Russia jailed for 13 years

David Ballantyne Smith, 58, was caught in a sting operation after passing delicate materials to the Russian embassy in Germany.

David Ballantyne Smith takes video of CCTV displays on the safety kiosk of the British Embassy in Berlin, Germany, August 3, 2020, on this nonetheless picture taken from a video performed in court docket on the Outdated Bailey, in London, UK [File: Metropolitan Police/Handout via Reuters]

A former safety guard on the UK’s Berlin embassy who spied for Russia has been jailed for greater than 13 years below the Official Secrets and techniques Act.

David Ballantyne Smith, 58, was caught in a sting operation after passing delicate materials to the Russian embassy in Germany for greater than three years, together with “secret” authorities communications with former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Choose Mark Wall stated on Friday that the fees have been associated to conduct between 2020 and 2021, however that Smith’s actions had begun “two years earlier than”.

Smith accepted sending two letters containing delicate info to people on the Russian embassy in Berlin.

Wall stated in court docket, addressing Smith, “I'm certain that, sooner or later in 2020, you established common contact with somebody on the Russian embassy.

“You have been paid by the Russians to your treachery.”

Wall advised Smith his culpability was “excessive” and put workers on the embassy vulnerable to hurt.

Smith pleaded responsible in November to eight offences below the Official Secrets and techniques Act, together with one cost referring to passing info to Common Main Sergey Chukhrov, the Russian army attache to Berlin, in November 2020.

Seven different prices contain amassing info which is perhaps helpful to Russia, 4 of which relate to an MI5 officer posing as “Dmitry”, a Russian nationwide who was supposedly offering help to the UK.

Smith made a duplicate of a doc Dmitry had introduced and stored a SIM card packaging with the defector’s telephone quantity on it, somewhat than destroying it as he had been instructed.

Later in his safety kiosk, Smith was proven on covert movie utilizing a small digital camera to document about 45 seconds of CCTV capturing Dmitry’s go to saying, “If he works on the embassy, they'll know him.”

‘Self-pity’

Earlier this week, Smith advised the court docket he was ashamed of what he had accomplished and stated he had filmed the paperwork after consuming “seven pints of beer”.

He added that it “appeared like a good suggestion on the time” however stated he didn't move the paperwork on to anybody as “it will be knowingly damaging the UK.”

However the decide rejected Smith’s proof that he felt regret, saying, “Your regrets are not more than self-pity.”

Wall stated Smith was motivated by his anti-British and pro-Russian views, which have been “the direct explanation for your offending”.

“I'm certain that you simply dedicated these crimes intending to help Russia, a state which at the moment, as now, was considered unfriendly to the UK,” the decide advised Smith. “Your motive in helping them was to break British pursuits.”

He additionally dismissed Smith’s proof that he dedicated the offences when he was struggling along with his psychological well being.

“I see no logical causal hyperlink between despair and a choice to betray your nation,” Wall stated.