Matthew Ryder KC and Kwaku Awuku-Asabre, instructed by Taylor Rose, represented David Smith, who pleaded guilty to 8 offences under the Official Secrets Act 2011.
Mr Smith was alleged to have collected sensitive and secret material between 2018 and 2021 and provided it to Russian agents in return for payment, while working as a security guard at the British Embassy in Berlin.
After a Newton Hearing, the Mr Justice Wall rejected Mr Smith’s claims minimising his wrongdoing, but also rejected the Crown’s claim that his wrongdoing was at the highest level of seriousness. Mr Smith received a total sentence of imprisonment of 13 years and 2 months, with 7 of his 8 sentences running concurrently.