Brit embassy guard who sold secrets to Russia and cost UK taxpayers £820k jailed
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A British spy who was caught red-handed in a Cold War-style sting selling the UK’s diplomatic secrets to Russia through its German embassy has been jailed for 13 years and two months.
David Ballantyne Smith, 57, a security guard who worked for the British Embassy in Berlin, had already pleaded guilty to eight offences under the Official Secrets Act.
Smith, originally from Paisley near Glasgow, was arrested at his home by German police in a sting operation in August 2021 after he was caught trying to pass sensitive security information to Russian military attaches in the city.
He had €800 (£700) in cash in his possession which he could not account for.
READ MORE: British security guard admits spying for Russia and declared he 'hated the UK'
The ex-RAF serviceman was jailed at the Old Bailey today (Friday, February 17) by Mr Justice Wall.
Smith, who admitted he "hated" the UK, had been caught filming a whiteboard inside the embassy which contained personal information of a number of staff.
He was also found taking videos of the British Embassy's CCTV systems.
His actions cost British taxpayers £820,000 in extra security measures.
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German police managed to convince him that he was speaking with a member of the GRU, Russia ’s military intelligence organisation.
He was eventually caught in a sting operation involving a fake Russian defector named "Dimitry" and another German intelligence officer dubbed "Irina".
The information he passed on is believed to have contained details of staff at the British embassy, including the identities and schedules, and is understood to have been regarded as useful to the Russian state.
Smith's role as a security guard meant he had details of people going in and out of the British embassy in Berlin but he also may have been aware of the building’s security arrangements.
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An investigation into his flat in Berlin revealed documents marked “secret” that are understood to have been prepared to be passed on to Russian spymasters.
Police also discovered the equivalent of around £700 that he was unable to account for the origins of.
Mr Justice Wall had previously said he would sentence Smith on the basis he had an “ongoing relationship with someone at the Russian embassy” and did not just supply information to Russia on two isolated occasions.
The judge said: “He was paid for his treachery and he was motivated by his antipathy towards this country and intended to damage this country’s interests by acting as he did.”
The charges against him claim that Smith had been in contact with General Major Sergey Chukhurov between October 31 and December 1, 2020.
David is thought to have been spying for Russia for as long as 15 months, with conversations revealing that he hated both Germany and the UK, and also expressed frustration at the flying of the LGBTQ+ pride flag.
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