A former security guard at the UK’s Berlin embassy, who admitted spying for Moscow, was on Friday jailed for over 13 years under the Official Secrets Act.
David Ballantyne Smith, 58, was caught in a sting operation after passing sensitive material to the Russian embassy in Germany.
“You were paid by Russia for your treachery,” said Judge Mark Wall as he announced the sentence of 13 years and two months at the Old Bailey court in central London.
“Your motive in assisting them (the Russians) was to damage British interests,” he added.
The judge, who earlier rejected Smith’s claims he only passed information to Moscow twice to cause “embarrassment” to the UK, described his offending as “extensive and serious” and said he had shown no real remorse.
He told Smith his culpability was “high”, as he had copied a “significant amount of material over the years” and put embassy staff at risk of harm.
The military veteran, originally from Paisley in western Scotland, had worked at the Berlin embassy for five years.
Prosecutors said earlier that Smith first wrote to the Russian embassy in 2020, revealing details of British embassy staff and suggesting further contact
