British stability guard ‘who hated his country’ admits spying for Russia at UK’s embassy in Germany

A protection guard at Britain’s embassy in Berlin is experiencing 14 several years in jail right after he provided himself up to spy for Russia, passing over condition techniques owing to his extreme hatred of the United kingdom. 

David Ballantyne Smith, 58, is mentioned to have wanted to dwell in Russia or Ukraine at the time he passed on key intelligence to Moscow from May perhaps 2020.

Subsequent Smith’s arrest it emerged that he had spent 15 months spying ahead of being caught by the intelligence products and services in a sting operation. 

He despised British values and was angered by the traveling of the Rainbow LGBT+ flag at the embassy that utilized him for 8 yrs, prosecutors reported. 

The 58-calendar year-previous, at first from Paisley, Scotland, now faces up to 14 decades in jail following pleading guilty to 8 counts underneath the Formal Tricks Act. 

Even with residing over and above his indicates, 800 euro (£700) in hard cash was found at his household in Potsdam in Germany when he was arrested in August final yr.

Pictures of his residing room shown Russian memorabilia, together with a flag.

On his bookshelf had been volumes on history and a novel by the late John le Carre, who is ideal identified for his Cold War spy thrillers.

At a plea hearing at the Outdated Bailey, Smith, now of no fixed deal with, pleaded responsible to 8 costs underneath the Formal Insider secrets Act by committing an act prejudicial to the security or pursuits of the condition.

David Ballantyne Smith, 58, is reported to have wished to are living in Russia or Ukraine at the time he handed on secret intelligence to Moscow from Might 2020

David Ballantyne Smith, 58, (drawn in this courtroom sketch at the Aged Bailey) pleaded guilty to spying for Russia 

David Ballantyne Smith, 58, is mentioned to have been driven by an rigorous hatred for his possess state and wanted to live in Russia or Ukraine at the time he passed on solution intelligence to Moscow from Could 2020 

The extent of Smith’s functions were being established out in the fees laid from him.  

Smith was communicating with Common Big Sergey Chukhurov, the army attaché at the Russian Embassy, Berlin, in 2020.

He was reported to have handed a letter containing delicate information and facts about the activities, identities, addresses and telephone numbers of several British civil servants.

It experienced been posted from near Smith’s handle and handwriting evaluation concluded it was possible he had penned on the envelope himself. 

He gathered intelligence on the procedure and layout of the British Embassy in Berlin, which was mentioned to be helpful to ‘an enemy, particularly the Russian state’.

Some of the material was categorised ‘Secret’ and linked to the routines of the British Governing administration and its German embassy.

Smith experienced Russian armed service memorabilia which includes a Russian flag and uniform cap

On August 5 previous 12 months, he gathered unauthorised photocopies of documents provided by a individual recognised as Dmitry as properly as SIM card packaging.

On August 5 and 6 final year, he also gathered recordings of CCTV footage of Dmitry which was said to be ‘useful to an enemy, particularly the Russian State’.

On the day of his arrest on suspicion of spying for Russia, Smith experienced still left perform early complaining he was sensation unwell, only to be met by German police on arrival in Potsdam.

An assessment of his electronic devices discovered footage from the embassy and a draft letter to a Russian military services attache dated May possibly 14 2020.

In it, he confirmed he labored at the embassy and required anonymity as he provided a guide categorized as ‘official sensitive’.

There have been pictures of staff protection passes and personal facts, ‘secret’ labeled emails and paperwork, posters and whiteboards in the embassy.

Footage he had filmed was identified on devices at his property, as nicely as a letter to former navy attaché Colonel Sivov, in which Smith stated he could offer delicate information and facts that the colonel ‘might be ready to make use of’.

Police also found videos of a stroll all-around the embassy setting up, shots of organisational charts and notes about workforce.

Pursuing a probe by British counter-terrorism law enforcement, a request was built for his extradition in November very last yr and he was introduced again to the United kingdom in April.

As well as the discovery of dollars at Smith’s dwelling, he had expressed hatred of the Uk and Germany and sympathy with Russian authorities, the prosecution alleged.

Within his dwelling, there was an astonishing trove of Soviet memorabilia that uncovered where by his true loyalties may lay and presented severe vetting concerns for the Foreign Business office.

For instance, the battered 17-12 months-aged silver Ford Fiesta parked outside his flat bore the selection plate RU1801: the to start with two letters of ‘Russia’ followed by the 12 months that Alexander I turned Tsar.

Within the residing space of his 800-euro-a-thirty day period ground-floor flat was a large Russian flag, an old badge with a Russian navy crest on the wall, a daily life-size rottweiler toy carrying a Russian hat, a bookshelf with titles published in Russian Cyrillic script and a Soviet army cap.

Propping up numerous Russian language philosophy guides was a white product of a Trabant, the point out-made Soviet-era motor vehicle.

And the previous RAF junior airman’s social media was littered with images of himself putting on professional-Russian clothes together with anti-Nato and anti-western messages.

In a person outstanding graphic, Smith poses future to a Russian tank wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the Russian flag. Smith was extradited again to Britain in April. He now faces further more hearings and sentencing in February.

Smith was arrested by German law enforcement at his apartment in Potsdam on August 10

Smith’s guilty pleas final 7 days can only now be noted because the Crown indicated it would not seek a demo on a ninth rely, that the defendant had denied.

His law firm Matthew Ryder KC told the court that Smith’s foundation of plea differed from the prosecution case.

He told the court: ‘There is a really massive big difference among the Crown and Mr Smith about his commitment.

‘His intention and why he did what he did and the seriousness of the allegations are disputed by Mr Smith.

‘It is correct to say there is major difference as to the basis Mr Smith has pleaded guilty which includes him not owning a negative intention in direction of the United kingdom that the prosecution have alleged from him.’

It is comprehended Smith cast himself as a disgruntled personnel fairly than a spy and under no circumstances intended for his actions to enable Russia.

Smith faces a optimum sentence of 14 years in prison for spying.

In 2020, former defence employee Simon Finch, 52, from Southport, admitted disclosing ‘damaging’ major mystery information of a British isles missile technique and is presently serving an 8-calendar year jail time period.