British embassy guard charged with passing secrets onto Russia

A British security guard who worked at the UK embassy in Berlin was charged with spying for the Russian state, according to London police.

April 07, 2022 at 9:05 am

David Ballantyne Smith was extradited from Germany and charged with nine offenses under the Official Secrets Act, the Metropolitan Police Service said. (Bloomberg)

A British security guard who worked at the UK embassy in Berlin was charged with spying for the Russian state, according to London police.

David Ballantyne Smith was extradited from Germany and charged with nine offences under the Official Secrets Act, the Metropolitan Police Service said. The charges relate “to the collection and communication of information useful to the Russian state.”

Smith is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday. A lawyer for Smith couldn’t immediately be found.